FG rallies religious leaders for cervical cancer vaccine rollout

Go for free screening, Oyo begs women

To ensure seamless rollout and uptake of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine in the country next month, the Federal Government has sought the support of religious leaders for the project.

Government said the planned introduction of the HPV vaccine on September 25 is for girls between ages nine and15 to prevent cervical cancer – the deadliest disease that affects the gender.

Speaking at the bi-annual review meeting with religious leaders, yesterday, in Abuja, Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, observed that as spiritual guides, their words carry weight and inspire action.

He said by encouraging HPV vaccination within their congregations, religious leaders become advocates of life and guardians of health.

While opening the event, Minister of Health, Prof Mohammad Ali Pate, noted that the world is evolving, and as such, the government needed to provide world-class health services to the people.

He assured Nigerians that the President Bola Tinubu administration was determined to change the narrative, by making healthcare affordable and accessible to the people.

Pate reiterated that they would be relying on the influence of traditional leaders to drive health interventions.

In his remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Sa’ad Abubakar III, stressed that while discussing issues affecting the health of the people, government must also address the problem of hunger in the country for resistance to ill-health.

He pledged support of the faith community for government policies and programmes, stressing, however, that the government must urgently ameliorate the plight of Nigerians.

BESIDES, The Oyo State government has urged women of child-bearing age to go for free cervical cancer tests at its various designated centres.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusoji Adeyanju, during a special Colposcopy training, organised in conjunction with United States-based University of Maryland, Baltimore and University of New Mexico USA, as well as Centre for Bioethics and Research, Nigeria, said the appeal followed deliberate effort to reduce cervical cancer morbidity and mortality among sexually exposed women in the state.

The programme captured five medical doctors and five nurses, who would in the future, train others in the state.

The training was to get them acquainted with a new mobile Colposcopy gadget for early detection of the disease in the state.

One of the trainees, Dr. Shakirah Lanlege, who spoke on behalf of others, commended the facilitators for the opportunity.