The Federal Government of Nigeria has made significant progress in its fight against cervical cancer, vaccinating over 18 million adolescent girls against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). This achievement represents about 76% of the country's target population. According to Dr. Rufai Garba, Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the vaccination programme was introduced into Nigeria's national immunisation programme in October 2023.
The vaccination programme was launched to combat the high incidence of cervical cancer in Nigeria, where about 12,000 new cases are recorded annually, and nearly 8,000 women die from the disease each year. The initial target was to vaccinate 7.7 million girls aged nine to 14 during the first phase of the programme, with support from Gavi, UNICEF, WHO, and other partners. The vaccine is provided free to eligible girls at public health facilities.
To improve access to the vaccine, Nigeria has adopted school-based vaccination and outreach programmes. Dr. Garba emphasized that vaccination alone would not be enough to eliminate cervical cancer, stressing the need to improve screening, early diagnosis, and treatment. He made these remarks at a policy roundtable in Abuja, organised by MSD in partnership with Africa Health Business.
The policy roundtable focused on accelerating efforts to eliminate cervical cancer through vaccination, screening, and treatment. MSD's Director of External Affairs for Sub-Saharan Africa, Vuyo Mjekula, called for greater private-sector participation in the fight against cervical cancer. She emphasized the need for stronger partnerships among government, healthcare providers, civil society, and private companies to expand vaccination, screening, and treatment.
The partnership aims to address the significant burden of cervical cancer in Nigeria. According to Dr. Garba, the country has made progress since introducing the HPV vaccine, but more needs to be done to eliminate the disease. The government is working to improve access to screening and treatment services, particularly in rural areas.
Vuyo Mjekula highlighted the importance of collaboration in the fight against cervical cancer. She noted that stronger partnerships would help to leverage resources, expertise, and technology to expand vaccination, screening, and treatment services. This collaboration is crucial to reducing the incidence of cervical cancer and saving lives in Nigeria.
The Nigerian government has demonstrated its commitment to eliminating cervical cancer through the HPV vaccination programme. With over 18 million girls vaccinated, the country is making progress towards its goal of protecting young girls from the disease. Continued efforts to improve screening, diagnosis, and treatment services will be essential to achieving this goal.
Key points
- Nigeria has vaccinated over 18 million adolescent girls against HPV, achieving 76% of its target population.
- The country records about 12,000 new cervical cancer cases annually, with nearly 8,000 women dying from the disease each year.
- Stronger partnerships among government, healthcare providers, civil society, and private companies are needed to expand vaccination, screening, and treatment services.
