The Gavi alliance has made commitments to provide is to provide 22.3 million doses of HPV vaccine to Nigeria between 2023 – 2025.

Head of HPV Programme, Emily Kobayashi, who disclosed this to journalists yesterday in Abuja, explained that out of the number, Gavi will provide 8 million doses of the vaccine in 2023, 11 million doses in 2024 and 3.3 million doses in 2025, and going forward each year, those vaccines are purchased through a co-financing agreement with the government.

She noted that cervical cancer is the second most common female cancer according to official data and accounts for 8000 deaths per year.

Kobayashi said that in the phase which has just been launched will cover 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory, which are introducing the vaccine into routine immunization while in the second phase, the remaining 21 states that have not yet launched the vaccine will launch the vaccine in the first half of next year.

She stated that every year, nine-year old girls will become eligible for the vaccine and about 4 million girls who turn nine will be newly eligible for the vaccine adding that government of Nigeria is committed from here forward to making sure that the vaccine is available and delivered to those girls every year.

According to her, “HPV vaccine is most effective when it is given before somebody initiates a sexual relations and it has the highest impact when it’s given to girls because of the link to cervical cancer and because Cervical cancer is such a common and prevalent type of cancer.

She said, “And so, what we can anticipate is that there will be vaccination continuing. HPV vaccine is not about a one time campaign. It is not about just protecting the girls that are going to be reached over the next week or so, or the next year.

“HPV vaccine is about building a generation of immunity. It is about having adults, a whole generation of adults who are protected from HPV. The WHO paper in 2022 advised that evidence showed that with a one dose schedule, the vaccine is 97% as effective as a two dose schedule.

“And so, for countries or health ministries that felt that the relative operational efficiency of delivering one dose versus delivering a two dose series could potentially adopts a single dose series of the vaccine. What that meant is that with a single dose of the vaccine at one time jab, a girl could be protected from cervical cancer for the rest of their life.”

According to her, “the government was also supporting the procurement of those vaccines. We are also as GAVI, providing support to the launch of these campaigns while in the phase two states that we are in, the government is also eligible to continue to receive support over time to make sure that the health facilities are able to reach the schools every year where they are going to reach the majority of their nine year old girls.”

Though she did not give the total amount Gavi is investing in providing the vaccines to Nigeria, Kobayashi noted that each dose costs over $4 dollars.