Dry poliovirus type 2 hits Nasarawa community

Following the outbreak of the Dry Polio Virus type 2 in Toto LGA of  Nasarawa State, over 200,000 girls between the ages of nine and 14 years have been immunised against cervical cancer across the 13 LGAs of the state.

The immunisation officer, Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Abubakar Halilu-Awe, who stated this during an expanded Review meeting on the progress of HPV vaccine in Lafia, described Nigeria as one of the countries with the highest cervical cancer cases in the world, having over 8,000 women dying yearly from the disease.

He explained that there is need for the introduction of the Human Papilloma Virus, HPV, vaccine and it’s reutilization into the main routine immunisation schedule of the state.

“We have immunised over 200,000 girls between the ages of nine to 14 years against cervical cancer across the 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State,” he stated. 

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Following the Reutilization of the HPV vaccine into the state routine immunisation schedule, Halilu Awe said progress has been recorded with many girls been vaccinated against cervical cancer.

He, however, said arrangements have been concluded for response to the outbreak of the Dry Polio Virus type 2 in Toto LGA of the state.

“The state primary healthcare development agency has concluded arrangements for Response to Outbreak of circulating Dry Poliovirus type 2 in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State,” he said.