Nigeria's NPHCDA Vaccinates 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. Dr. Rufai Garba, the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), made this announcement during a policy roundtable held in Abuja on Tuesday.

This meeting was organized by MSD in collaboration with Africa Health Business, focusing on strategies to eliminate cervical cancer through vaccination, screening, and treatment. The HPV vaccine was introduced into Nigeria's national immunisation programme in October 2023, initially targeting 7.7 million girls aged nine to 14, with support from Gavi, UNICEF, WHO, and other partners.

The vaccine is provided free of charge at public health facilities, with school-based vaccination and outreach programs to enhance access. Dr. Garba noted that Nigeria records about 12,000 new cervical cancer cases annually, resulting in nearly 8,000 deaths from the disease each year.