The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammad Pate, has announced that over 12 million girls aged 9 to 14 years have been vaccinated against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) nationwide within two years, marking a major milestone in Nigeria’s preventive healthcare efforts.
Pate recalled that the HPV vaccination campaign, introduced into Nigeria’s national immunisation programme in October 2023, represents one of the largest preventive health interventions in the country and the wider region.
He disclosed in Abuja during the Capital Health Awards, where he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Advancing Preventive Healthcare. The minister, represented by his Senior Special Adviser, Chinedu Moghalu, described the achievement as a clear demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to disease prevention under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“These experiences now converge in my current role as Minister of Health and Social Welfare, where I am leading the implementation of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative through a Sector-Wide Approach that has mobilised an estimated $3 billion in pooled financing for health system renewal,” he said.
Pate emphasised that the HPV vaccine reflects a deliberate policy choice to confront cervical cancer upstream through prevention, equity, and structured delivery, rather than addressing the disease at the point of late diagnosis and hardship. He added that the intervention aligns with the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and its Sector-Wide Approach, translating evidence-based policies into action through strengthened primary healthcare and immunisation systems.
He also acknowledged the critical role of traditional and religious leaders in boosting vaccine confidence, as well as partners who supported financing, logistics, cold chain expansion, health education, data systems, and accountability mechanisms across the federation.
Highlighting his decades of service, Pate said the award reflects over 30 years dedicated to prevention, systems strengthening, and public accountability. His career includes leadership roles as Chief Executive of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Minister of State for Health, and Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population at the World Bank, where he led the global COVID-19 health response and managed an $18 billion multi-country emergency health programme supporting over 100 countries.
In her remarks, the Founder of the Capital Health Awards, SalomeyEferemo, said the inaugural ceremony was created to honour individuals whose contributions have significantly advanced Nigeria’s health sector and inspired national excellence.
“The award is dedicated to celebrating unsung champions and visionaries whose work uplifts communities, saves lives and shapes brighter futures,” she said.
Earlier, Dr Ramatu Mohammed-Nafi’u urged government and society to deliberately invest in education, healthcare, nutrition, and safe environments, stressing that children thrive not by chance but by conscious choice. “If we truly value what is beautiful in children, then we must protect them, educate them, listen to them and create systems that allow them to reach their full potential,” she said.
