Welcoming A Cancer Shield for the People; A Monumental Step to Protect the Future Of 16.6 Million Nigerian Girls!

Today on October 24th, Nigeria will embark on a historic journey, initiating a nationwide human papillomavirus HPV vaccination rollout and campaign.
This marks a ground-breaking moment and the culmination of decades of dedicated multi-stakeholder advocacy efforts, as the vaccine is integrated into the national routine immunization schedule, and over the next three months, 16 of our 36 states will aim to immunize more than 7.1 million girls.

By January 2024, the campaign will sweep across the entire nation, and by the end of 2025, Nigeria’s goal is to have vaccinated 16.6 million girls aged nine to 14 against HPV, the virus responsible for nearly all Cervical Cancer cases, and which according to the World Health Organization, more than 10,000 Nigerian women die of each year.

This marks the first time that the HPV vaccine will be offered free of charge to the people of Nigeria. Previously, it was only available through private clinics, at a cost of about $65 per dose, almost double the national minimum monthly wage.

As all health facilities across Nigeria open their doors, offering the vaccine alongside other immunizations free of charge, as a long-term champion of Women Advocates for Vaccine Access, I have committed the Wellbeing Foundation Africa to promoting the factual dissemination of information which is vital in this endeavour. From educating on the cancer-preventing vaccine, to raising awareness in communities, WBFA is determined to protect our youth and eliminate cervical cancer from our future.

I commend the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency for their joint efforts with Gavi Alliance, UNICEF Nigeria, WHO Nigeria, and celebrate this milestone moment of Health For All.

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