Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the state ministry of Health have worked out the modalities to be adopted in administering Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination to the girl child between the ages of 9 to 14 years for the prevention of Cervical Cancer in schools across the State.
Making this known in Abeokuta during a meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Abosede Ogunleye mandated all Zonal Education Officers to inform schools, both public and private about the deadly disease and its prevention.
She added that it’s essential that parents, guardians and teachers join hands with the present administration in the State on policy that promotes good health for citizenry, especially learners for them to fulfil their dreams and destinies.
Speaking, the State Immunisation Officer, Dr. Surajudeen Olayinka hinted that, Cervical Cancer was a virus usually contracted through sexual activities, saying the Vaccination which is Single dose would be administered to eligible girls except for girls with health- related issues like HIV/AIDS who would require two doses.
He also said the vaccine is free, safe and effective, adding that sensitisation campaign would be taken to primary and secondary schools and market places starting from 24th of October, 2023.
Meanwhile, Ogun State Government has enrolled over fifty thousand pregnant women and children under five years in the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, disclosed this in her keynote address at the flag-off of the Routine Immunization Intensification Programme (RIIP), in Ijebu East Local Government Area of the State.
She said that the state government has provided daily access to life-saving vaccines in all PHCs across the state to prevent and eradicate vaccine-preventable diseases, adding that the programme was expected to boost routine child immunization and check the spread of diseases, recognising the critical role of routine immunisation in safeguarding health and well-being of a nation.
Dr Coker appreciated the support of development partners especially the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF), for the donation of N150million 6months of funding support given to the state on the Optimized Outreach Strategy Campaign, urging the LGA to maximize the funding to improve on their routine immunization performance across the wards by ensuring eligible children in communities get vaccinated.
In her remark, the NSSF Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko, said that it would continue to support the government in adequate healthcare of children to scale up interventions on Routine Child Immunization.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Chairman, Ijebu East Local Government, Hon. Adetutu Oyesanya, appreciated the State Government, NSSF and other development partners for the initiative, and assured that they would take advantage of the programme by making sure the vaccination campaign gets to the rural communities and get the eligible children vaccinated.
In their goodwill messages, representatives of WHO, UNICEF and other development partners, said the initiative would ensure access to vaccines is improved, particularly in the hard-to-reach communities and places where immunization coverage is low.
