By Fatima Muraina

The Federal Government has assured it will meet the 7.7m target of pre-teens to receive Human Papilloma Virus, HPV vaccination across the country.

This is even as 3.9 out of the total in 12 states have been vaccinated.

The Executive Director/ CEO of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, disclosed this at a virtual seminar organised for health journalists.

Aina who was represented by the Ag. Director of Disease Control and Immunisation of NPHCDA, Dr. Garba Rufai, said no serious adverse effect had been recorded among those vaccinated.

He noted that the vaccines were well received despite concerns raised in certain quarters as he observed that no stiff resistance to the HPV Vaccination has been recorded, disclosing that the 12 pilot states are almost running out of stock in Gadarsil4 vaccine.

Aina pointed out that antivax campaigners peddle lots of unverified and unsubstantiated lies which becomes worrisome because of the magnitude of misinformation that are passed to the people majority of who often are gullible to take in lies.

According to him, “There has not been any serious adverse effects recorded from the field from among those who have been vaccinated”.

In her welcome speech, President of the Network, Mrs. Yinka Shokunbi described the interactive discourse as the network’s contribution to support government’s effort.

“Our concern, therefore, as reproductive health writers and as media advocates on sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing of women and girls, is to provide a writable platform for stakeholders to give us the much desired information”.

According to her, when impactful knowledge is shared using such platforms of the network of reproductive health Journalists, it is assured that Nigerian women and girls would be better to take decisions that will protect them and keep them healthy now and in the future.

It would be recalled that ahead of the FG’s October 24 launch of the mass HPV vaccination, antivax crusaders launched social media campaigns against the exercise, directing parents not to allow their young daughters receive the jab termed “killer vaccine”.

The virtual discourse partners included Director Health Education Promotion, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Mrs. Modupe Owojuyigbe, Dr. Kingsley Odogwu, representative of Country Director, Mariestopes, Mr. Emmanuel Ajah, Mrs. Elizabeth Abímbólá, Southwest coordinator, Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria, PPFN.