By Zainab Oyekan
To commemorate the 2024 Children’s Day Mrs Helen Mutfwang, wife of Plateau governor, has launched the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), vaccination campaign, and administered same to 130 girls.
Mrs Mutfwang, who launched the campaign on Monday in Jos, said the initiative was to rid Plateau of cervical cancer, fighting it from a woman’s early stage.
“In commemoration of this joyous celebration, we are also launching the HPV vaccination programme, aimed at protecting our female children, between the ages of nine and 14 years, from cervical cancer,” she said.
Mutfwang explained further that when administered on the girls, the vaccine would protect them from contracting Cervical Cancer, caused by the HPV.
According to the governor’s wife, Plateau State Government places great importance on the well-being and development of children, recognising that they are the bedrock upon which the society would continue to build and thrive.
She said that the celebration was a testament to the unwavering commitment of the current administration’s commitment to ensuring that every child was nurtured, educated, and protected.
Mrs Mutfwang expressed worry over the World Health Organisation (WHO) report, which stated that Nigeria recorded 12,075 Cases of cervical cancer with 7,968 deaths in Nigeria in the year 2020.
She also noted with concern, the high burden of cervical cancer, caused by poor access to the HPV vaccine, low awareness, inadequate access to healthcare, especially in rural areas, among others.
She said it was in this light that the federal and state governments initiated the laudable HPV project to protect and save the lives of future mothers. NAN
