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The Federal Government has said that it will meet the 7.7m target of pre-teens to receive Human Papilloma Virus, HPV vaccination when the remaining three states launch their campaigns as 3.9 out of the total in 12 states have been vaccinated.
The Executive Director/ CEO of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, in his presentation titled, “The Role of the NPHCDA in Mitigating the Challenges and Bottlenecks around Vaccines and Mass Vaccination Programmes in Nigeria,” disclosed this at the weekend during a virtual discourse themed “Cervical Cancer and HPV vaccination: Matters Arising”,organised by the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists in Nigeria with support from Marie Stopes International of Nigeria, MSION.
Aina who was represented by the Ag. Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Garba Rufai, said no serious adverse effect had been recorded among those vaccinated.
He noted that the vaccines were being well received despite concerns raised in certain quarters as he observed that no Stiff Resistance to the HPV Vaccination has been recorded but that the 12 pilot states are almost running out of stock in Gadarsil4 vaccine.
Rufai pointed out that antivax campaigners peddle lots of unverified and unsubstantiated lies which becomes worrisome because of the magnitude of misinformation that are passed to the people majority of who often are gullible to take in lies.
According to him, “There has not been any serious adverse effects on records from the field from among those who have been vaccinated”.
In her welcome speech,, President of the Network, Mrs. Yinka Shokunbi described the interactive discourse as the network’s contribution to support government’s effort.
“Our concern, therefore, as reproductive health writers and as media advocates on the sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing of women and girls, is to provide a writable platform for stakeholders to give us the much desired information.
According to her, when impactful knowledge is shared using such platforms of the network of reproductive health Journalists, it is assured that Nigerian women and girls would be better to take decisions that will protect them and keep them healthy now and in the future.
It would be recalled that ahead of the FG’s October 24 launch of the mass HPV vaccination, antivax crusaders launched social media campaigns against the exercise directeing parents not to allow their young daughters receive the jab of what was termed “killer vaccine”.
The virtual discourse partners included Director Health Education Promotion, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Mrs. Modupe Owojuyigbe, Dr. Kingsley Odogwu, representive of Country Director, Mariestopes, Mr. Emmanuel Ajah, Mrs. Elizabeth Abímbólá, southwest coordinator, Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria,PPFN.