Nasarawa First Lady urges support for HPV vaccination campaign

The First Lady of Nasarawa State, Silifat Abdullahi-Sule during the meeting with stakeholders in Nasarawa. Photo: Collins Agwam

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The First Lady of Nasarawa State, Silifat Abdullahi-Sule, has appealed to stakeholders across the 13 local government areas of the state to key into the ongoing Human Papilloma Virus vaccination campaigns to eradicate the deadly cervical cancer, which has led to the untimely death of many citizens in the country.

Abdullahi-Sule made the appeal at her office on Thursday in Lafia, the state capital, shortly after being decorated as the HPV Vaccination Super Champion by the Community Link for Health and Family Planning Advocacy, in collaboration with Pathfinder International, Nigeria.

According to the First Lady, HPV is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract, mainly transmitted through sexual contact, adding that most females become infected with the virus shortly after the onset of sexual activity.

She therefore appealed to stakeholders, parents, and guardians in the state to make their children and wards available for vaccination against the deadly Human Papillomavirus, to protect them from contracting cervical cancer in the future.

The First Lady said the ongoing vaccination campaign is aimed at encouraging mass participation in the programme by young girls within the targeted age of 9 to 14 years, to tackle all HPV-related illnesses.

She added, “I sincerely want to commend the organisers for decorating me as the HPV Vaccination Super Champion in Nasarawa State. I also commend the ongoing efforts of the 13 other champions who are working tirelessly across our LGAs.

“The HPV vaccine is safe, free, and effective. I therefore urge stakeholders across the state, parents, and guardians to redouble their efforts in ensuring that they access the vaccination for their children and wards in our numerous healthcare facilities.”

On her part, the Chairperson of Community Link for Health and Family Planning Advocacy, Mary Ashenanye, thanked the First Lady for her continuous efforts in ensuring that residents of the state, especially women, have access to and enjoy better healthcare services across the 13 LGAs.

While commending leaders of churches, mosques, and schools in the state for their cooperation thus far in introducing the vaccines to their followers and students, Ashenenye noted that the state has achieved a lot of progress in the vaccination exercise, as many young girls in urban and rural areas had already been vaccinated.

“We had challenges of resistance when we started; the people did not know much about it. But we decided to do more in following up with the people in charge of religious centres and schools, and it became easier for us.

“We have our champions already, but the Governor’s wife is the super champion. So we now created a day on which we would decorate her.

“She has been the super champion, yes, but she was not decorated. So today is the day that she permitted us to come and decorate her. We are here because the champions are doing a lot in our communities,” she added.

On his part, the Senior Media and Communications Officer, Pathfinder International, Nigeria, Bayo Ewuola, thanked the First Lady for accepting to be the Super Champion of HPV Vaccination in the state, adding that the vaccine, when received, protects against cervical, throat, and all forms of Human Papilloma Virus-related cancers.

He further expressed his gratitude to the HPV champions across the 13 LGAs of the state for their untiring efforts in reaching out to their various communities to participate in the HPV vaccination campaign in the state.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Iskilu Saleh, represented by the Director, Health Education and Social Mobilisation, Mohammed Ibrahim, assured that the HPV vaccines are safe for use and available in healthcare centres across the state.

Saleh explained that when administered, the vaccines would help to prevent young females from the agony and suffering that many women have experienced as a result of cervical cancer.

“The reason behind this is that Nasarawa State has set a very strong foundation for the HPV vaccine, and we are doing pretty well. So we want to continue with that tempo. In achieving and continuing with that tempo, there is a need for us to continuously engage with our communities, engage with our critical stakeholders, particularly Her Excellency, who has been doing well in terms of advocacy and health issues in the state,” he added.

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