The federal government has vaccinated 4.7 million girls across 14 states and the Fedaeral Capital Territory (FCT) with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Muyi Aina, stated this yesterday during the quarterly review meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee (NTLC) on primary healthcare delivery.
The federal government introduced the HPV vaccine into the routine immunisation programme in October to protect girls between the ages of nine and 14 years against cervical cancer.
Dr Aina said the results were achieved with the support of traditional rulers, adding that the NTLC has been a beacon of hope for a healthy nation where all citizens have access to quality and affordable health care.
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He said there was an initial strong pushback by anti-vaccine campaigners, but with the help of traditional rulers, the agency was able to get accurate information across to parents, guardians and adolescents.
He said, “The work is not finished, and we count on you, Your Highnesses to continue not to let our people know that the HPV vaccine is safe and highly effective against cervical cancer, especially as we plan to expand to the rest of the states in the new year.”
The NPHCDA ED said the challenges that persist with the primary healthcare delivery system in the country would also be overcome with the support of the committee and other traditional leaders in the country.
He said the agency would work with them in the first quarter of next year to rapidly expand the number of fully functional PHCs.
The coordinating minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the Health Renewal Compact and plans to expand primary health facilities in the country from 8000 to 17000 in the next four years.
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, called for increased efforts in addressing the circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus that is still spreading in the northern part of the country.
He said the health renewal compact would help improve primary healthcare delivery in the country.
