Anambra State Government is targeting the to reach one million girls between the ages of nine to fourteen in the state by December 2024 with Human Papillomavirus vaccine.
The government also urged parents and guardians to ensure that their daughters within the age bracket receive the jab; as the vaccine is safe and are given without cost at all public health facilities in the state.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike; at a media dialogue on HPV vaccine in Awka said the vaccination became necessary after the state recorded one point seven percent HPV positivity rate at the last state-wide screening of seventeen thousand persons.
According to the Health Commissioner, the state is committed to the health and wellbeing of the people, adding that the HPV vaccine is an important measure to keep the girl child safe from cervical cancers, calling on parents to ensure that their girls within the age bracket are vaccinated as soon as possible.
He revealed that the vaccine has been in the country; but expensive and out of the reach for most parents in the state, reason the state government is providing the vaccine free of charge.
Dr. Obidike advised community, religious and political leaders to join in encouraging their subjects to receive the vaccine and dissuade people from vaccine apathy, adding that the HPV vaccine would ensure that the targeted girls do not get infected with cervical cancer.
He also revealed that free cervical cancer treatment and testing is ongoing in the state; courtesy of the wife of the Governor, Nonye Soludo.
The South East Zonal Coordinator of World Health Organization, WHO, Dr. Chukwumuanya Igboekwu, who re-emphazied that HPV vaccine is safe, effective and cost-free, said that there was an urgent need for all stakeholders to come together to sensitize Ndi Anambra on its importance.
He pointed out that the media dialogue was an opportunity to sensitize the public about the advantages of proven global interventions in the prevention of HPV through vaccination, and frowned at the attitude of people on social media who use important initiatives as content in growing their pages.
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