Nigeria Vaccinates Over 18 Million Girls Against HPV

The Federal Government of Nigeria has successfully vaccinated more than 18 million adolescent girls against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), achieving approximately 76% of its target population in efforts to eliminate cervical cancer. Dr. Rufai Garba, the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), made this announcement during a strategic policy roundtable organized by MSD in partnership with Africa Health Business in Abuja.

The meeting focused on enhancing HPV vaccination, access to screening and treatment, and fostering collaboration between public and private sectors. Nigeria introduced the HPV vaccine into its national immunisation programme in October 2023, initially targeting 7.7 million girls aged nine to 14.

The vaccination is available free of charge at public health facilities. Dr. Garba highlighted that while vaccination is crucial, it must be complemented by screening, early diagnosis, and treatment to effectively combat cervical cancer, which currently sees about 12,000 new cases and nearly 8,000 deaths annually in Nigeria.