MADRID, 25 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Government of Nigeria began a vaccination campaign this Tuesday with the aim of immunizing some 7.7 million girls against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which represents the largest plan against the disease on the entire African continent.
The disease, which can cause cervical cancer, is the third most common type of cancer in the country and the second cause of death in women between 15 and 44 years old.
In fact, in 2020 – the last year for which data is available – 12,000 new cases and 8,000 deaths from cervical cancer were recorded in the country.
“The loss of some 8,000 Nigerian women a year to a preventable disease is totally unacceptable,” said Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Muhamad Ali Pate, on his account on the social network X, formerly Twitter.
The first phase of the campaign, which will last five days and cover 16 states, will also immunize 14-year-old girls with one dose, which is “highly effective” in preventing HPV infection.
More than 35,000 health workers have been trained to carry out the operation, the second phase of which will begin in May 2024 and will take place in 21 other states.
“This is a crucial moment in Nigeria’s efforts to reduce the burden of cervical cancer, one of the few cancers that can potentially be eliminated through vaccination,” said the representative of the World Health Organization (WHO). ), Walter Kazadi Mulombo.
“We are committed to supporting increasing government access to the HPV vaccine to protect the health and well-being of the next generation of women,” added Mulombo.
2023-10-25 05:26:54
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