12 Million Strong: Nigeria’s Triumph in HPV Vaccination for Girls

“The loss of about 8000 Nigerian women yearly from a disease that is preventable is completely unacceptable,” says Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.

“Cervical cancer is mostly caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), and parents can avoid physical and financial pain by protecting their children with a single dose of the vaccine. Saving lives, and producing quality health outcomes and protecting the wellbeing of Nigerians are central to the Renewed Health Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The onset of the vaccination campaign is an opportunity to safeguard our girls from the scourge of cervical cancers many years into the future. As a parent myself, I have four daughters, all of them have had the same HPV vaccine to protect them against cervical cancer.

I’d like to implore fellow parents to dutifully ensure that this generation of our girls disrupt the preventable loss of lives to cervical cancer in addition to other untold hardship, loss, and pain.”

Photo from euronews.com

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, CEO of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, recently attended the IGCC conference in Brazil where she spoke about cervical cancer elimination and noted the similarities between Brazil and Nigeria’s cancer landscapes.

“Brazil sees 177,000 cases diagnosed annually while Nigeria reports 12,000; 8,000 of which result in death. I was pleased to share that 12 million girls have already been vaccinated against HPV in Nigeria, which is a great feat for the country.” – Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu

Nigeria recently announced the commencement of the second phase of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rollout to combat cervical cancer, starting officially in May 2024. Additionally, the Government has entered into agreements for six new cancer treatment facilities while lawmakers discuss the possibility of making cancer treatment free nationwide.

In preparation for the nationwide HPV vaccination drive, Nigerian authorities intensified online and offline campaigns to educate the public about the vaccine.

“There are rumors suggesting that the vaccine reduces fertility, but we’ve been informing parents that it’s safe and solely prevents cervical cancer,” said Lagbenro Arinlade-Ayoade, Oyo-West’s primary health care coordinator.

While the HPV vaccine has been used in many developed nations for nearly two decades, only half of African countries have integrated it into their immunization programs, despite the continent’s high cervical cancer burden.

IVAC, led by Nigeria Country Director Dr. Chizoba Wonodi, played a pivotal role at various stages of HPV vaccine introduction such as offering technical assistance to the Nigeria Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NGI-TAG) during their evidence review to evaluate and recommend the vaccine and organizing a national stakeholder forum on cervical cancer elimination.

With Gavi support, IVAC also identified and trained civil society organizations (CSOs) to address misinformation, mobilize young girls for vaccination, and ensure inclusivity for adolescent girls with disabilities. CSOs have extensive networks and are highly trusted within their communities, and so these sensitization efforts were crucial for vaccine demand generation and the ultimate success of the campaign.