Kemi Olatunde

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has been commended for flagging off the Human Pappiloma Virus (HPV) vaccination in the state.

The commendation was made by the World Health Organisation(WHO) during a state HPVV1 implementation campaign feedback meeting in Akure last week.

WHO consultant on HPV, Mrs Oluwaseun Inetagbo in her presentation on key findings on the field during the exercise, noted that the Governor’s gesture gave the state an hedge over other 21 implementing states in the second phase of the vaccination flag off in Nigeria.

She revealed that 453 children were vaccinated at flag off point noting that the state achieved 80 percent target population as stipulated by federal government but attaining 94 percent coverage adding that 342,208 has been vaccinated in the state.

While noting that the vaccine aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality of cervical cancer by providing the HPV vaccine to girls between ages 9 and 14 years, she commended the good leadership, coordination and team work, school sensitisation and supportive supervision across the state.

She listed poor micro planning in some areas, non payment of logistics funds to teams, inadequate data tools and pockets of non compliance in some schools and communities as some of the challenges stressing the need to proffer solution to them.

Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA), Dr. Francis Akanbiemu expressed appreciation to all supporting partners for the success achieved during the exercise noting that the state was really committed to its success before the implementation.

He also commended the Local Government Areas with higher coverage stating that measures are in place to celebrate them in order to encourage others to follow suit.

Akanbiemu who hinted that the vaccine is available in health facilities across the state, stressed the need for more effective sensitisation in order to capture targeted girls that are yet to be captured.

UNICEF HPV Consultant, Mrs Binta Audu thanked the state for caring for the girl child during the vaccination calling on state government to help targeted girls in federal and paramilitary schools in the state to get vaccinated.

Speaking earlier, Ondo State Coordinator, WHO, Dr. Dele David Sunday commended partners for their support for the exercise stressing the need to tackle the observed challenges for improved implementation.

Director, Disease Control and Immunisation, OSPHCDA, Dr. Victor Adefesoye revealed that the vaccine will only be limited to girls of 9 years as from year 2025 and called on parents of targeted girls to present their unvaccinated girls for vaccination.

It would be recalled that the HPV vaccination was flagged of in the state on the 27th. May, 2024 by the state Governor Hon. Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa in commemoration of the 2024 children’s day celebration in the state.