As the International Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Awareness Day is observed globally tomorrow, CancerAware Nigeria, a Lagos based women’s charity organisation has called on the Federal Government to introduce the HPV vaccine into the country’s routine immunisation programme, to enable eligible girls have access to it.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection and is passed on through genital contact and causes cervical cancer. There are over 100 types of HPV.

The most common types causing genital warts are types 6 and 11, and for cervical cancer, types 16 and 18.

Executive Director of the NGO, Tolulope Falowo said: “cervical cancer is one that should not happen at all, because it is preventable through vaccination and screening, yet it is the second most common cancer among women in Nigeria.

“We are calling on the Federal Government to take neccesary steps because at least 12 other African countries have introduced HPV vaccine into their routine immunisation programme. Nigeria cannot be the exception, especially because we have a huge burden of cervical cancer.”
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