- Hold Sensitization Campaigns
- As Vaccine Roll-Out Commences Monday
From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The President, Supporting Women and Girls Initiative, Barr Chinyere Ogu, has said that HPV vaccines against cervical cancer are safe and do not cause infertility.
She called on parents to make available their female children aged between 9 and 14 years old to be vaccinated against cervical cancer.
Ogu who led the Enyiogugu market storm rally in Aboh Mbaise council at the weekend, disclosed that sensitization was primarily to create awareness that cervical cancer can be prevented through vaccine.
According to her, ” Cervical cancer is the highest-killing cancer amongst women in the world. The HPV vaccine is a way of protecting women. This vaccine has been used in over 120 countries across the world. It is safe, and effective in the prevention of cervical cancer and Nigeria is collaborating with these countries. 12,000 suffer from this cancer of which about 8,000 women die in Nigeria. We have been going from school to School, Church to Church as well as meeting with various women groups and associations to ensure that they get the message. The rollout will kick off on May 27 with the First Lady of Imo state flagging it off.”
She added, ” Both events at Okpofe secondary school and the Market Storm/ rally at Afor Enyiogugu Market for sensitization on the HPV vaccine are implemented by International Vaccine Access Centre (IVAC) and Direct Consulting and Logistics (DCL) in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and Women Advocates for Vaccine Access (WAVA), through a GAVI grant and executed by (For Okpofe Secondary school students rally, Dr. Nwaneri Alaribe- the IVAC Younth Ambassador for Imo State on the HPV Vaccine.”
Earlier, Dr Nwaneri Alaribe, a Medical Doctor and Imo Youth Ambassador for the cervical cancer vaccine roll out campaign, said, ” Today we were at Okpofe Secondary in Ezinihitte Mbaise Council where we invited ten other secondary schools where we educated them on the vaccine and why it is in their best interests to take the vaccine. The only we can prevent cervical cancer is through the HPV vaccine. It is safe and effective and it is free because the government has paid for it “.
Lolo Osugwu, a health worker who was part of the sensitization team, said, ” We are encouraging parents to make available to be vaccinated against this deadly disease called cervical cancer. The vaccines are safe.”