By Kemi Olatunde

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The need for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Ondo State to support the government in ensuring a hitch-free Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine’s introduction in the state has been stressed.

Representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA) and Director of Disease Control and Immunisation in the agency, Dr. Victor Adefesoye said this when he led a team to some government establishments on a special advocacy visit for the upcoming HPV vaccine’s introduction in Akure.

 Speaking at the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, Adefesoye explained that it is important to inform MDAs of another vaccination in the Routine Immunization in the state.

According to him, the HPV vaccine prevents girls/women from developing cancer of the cervix which he described as the second leading killer of cancer in women, adding that it may become the leading cancer if adequate measures are not put in place.

While noting that cancer of the cervix is preventable when screened and treated, he noted that 19 states in Nigeria commenced the vaccination in 2023 adding that it will be rolled out in the state in May 2024.

He explained that the vaccine targets girls between the ages of nine and 14 to immunise them against the disease before their exposure to sexual interactions saying “If they develop the disease, it won’t be as devastating as when they didn’t take the vaccine.”

Calling for collaboration between the Ministry and the agency, he appealed to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Adegoke Folasade to give a directive to necessary stakeholders on the upcoming exercise for its success.

Adefesoye who hinted that the vaccine is free said that it has been tested and approved for human consumption adding that it is kept under the appropriate temperature.

The team lead said that the agency is working against rumors and myths concerning the vaccination to record huge success.

In her response, Adegoke who stated that both Ministries of Health and Education must collaborate to achieve a common goal thanked the agency for collaborating with development partners for the good of the state.