Kano aims to protect 1.55 million girls from cancer through an extensive HPV vaccination

The Kano State government is taking measures to prevent premature deaths, particularly among women, caused by cancer.

They have set a goal to immunize 1,550,000 girls aged 9 to 14 against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

This initiative was announced by the State Commissioner of Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, during the launch event. The vaccination campaign will be carried out over a period of five days, covering all 44 local government areas within the state.

Dr Yusuf emphasized that the HPV vaccine has been scientifically proven to effectively prevent HPV infection, which can lead to cervical cancer in women.

Dr. Yusuf emphasized that receiving just one dose of the vaccine provides strong protection against HPV Types 16 and 18, which are responsible for at least 70 percent of cervical cancer cases.

In the first phase of the countrywide vaccination campaign, Kano, along with 15 other states in Nigeria, will be immunizing a total of 7.7 million girls aged 9 to 14.

The widespread use of the vaccine as part of routine immunization has led to a significant decrease in the occurrence of cervical cancer in countries where it has been implemented.

This highlights how cervical cancer can be prevented through vaccination.

The Commissioner stressed the importance of the mass vaccination campaign, which will be conducted in schools, communities, and places of worship through temporary fixed posts. The goal is to eventually integrate the vaccine into routine immunization schedules at health facilities. It is worth noting that the vaccine is safe, free, and highly effective.

The Commissioner also appealed to parents and caregivers to take advantage of this opportunity provided by the government. Specifically, he urged them to ensure that girls aged 9-14 receive the vaccine to protect them from HPV infection, which is responsible for cervical cancer and can lead to premature death among women in the country.

In addition, the Commissioner urged parents to vaccinate their children against various other preventable diseases, such as diphtheria, measles, pertussis, tetanus, tuberculosis, polio, hepatitis, and pneumonia, among others.