FG to vaccinate out-of-school girls against cervical cancer
The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment has announced plans to develop a model for vaccinating out-of-school girls against cervical cancer. The director-general of the agency, Professor Usman Aliyu, made this known on Monday after launching the integration of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the school health programme in Sokoto. Aliyu said cervical […]
national institute for cancer research and treatment
The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment has announced plans to develop a model for vaccinating out-of-school girls against cervical cancer.
The director-general of the agency, Professor Usman Aliyu, made this known on Monday after launching the integration of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the school health programme in Sokoto.
Aliyu said cervical and other cancers are on the rise globally, leading to significant losses in both resources and lives.
“In light of this, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the Ministry of Health to integrate the cervical cancer vaccine into the school health programme. The goal is to reach girls at an early age,” he said.
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He noted that the first phase of the vaccination achieved 80 per cent coverage, and the second phase, currently ongoing across all six geopolitical zones, aims to reach the remaining 20 per cent who were not vaccinated in the initial phase.
“We are also working on a programme targeting out-of-school children. We have held meetings with agencies responsible for Almajiri education, as well as the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, to develop a smooth model for reaching them,” he added.
Aliyu urged school administrators and parents to support the vaccination initiative, highlighting the government’s significant financial investment in procuring the vaccines.
The District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Umar Sani, commended the agency for the vaccination initiative, stating that it would significantly help reduce cervical cancer cases in the state.