To reduce the mortality rate of women in Adamawa, the State Government will begin vaccination of young girls between the ages of nine and 14 years against the Human Papilloma Virus which is responsible for cervical cancer in women.
The Federal Government will also introduce the HPV vaccine nationwide on Monday.
Dr Suleiman Bashir, the Chairman of the state Primary Health Care Agency made this known in Yola on Friday.
He said the exercise would begin on Monday in the 21 local council areas.
He said the vaccination is expected to last for five days.
”The vaccine is safe, free and effective. The vaccine is the most effective prevention against cervical cancer.
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”The HPV vaccination offers maximum protection, but women older than 15 years have to undergo secreening before they get vaccinated” he added.
He noted that cervical cancer is the most commonest cancer in women.
” Thousands of girls are expected to be vaccinated across the state. Cancer has no known cure but it can be prevented if proper and timely action is taken,”he said.
He advised parents of all girls in the pegged age bracket to allow their children get the vaccines.
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The chairman said vaccinators would go round house-to-house to ensure wider and effective coverage.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says vaccination against cervical cancer could avert 71,000 deaths among Nigerian women yearly. (NAN)
