Federal Government has debunked reports that its Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination campaign schedule to commence on October 24, is mainly to control population by reducing fertility in women.
Director, Clinical Services, National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT, Uche Nwokwu, in an interview today said such reports are woven out of ignorance.According to Nwokwu, HPV is a virus that transmits through skin-to-skin contact which translates into cervical cancer and other cancers, especially in sexually active adults.
She noted that by protecting younggirls before exposure to the virus, it can reduce incidences of the devastating disease significantly.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO and UNICEF will launch the vaccine, followed by a roll-out in some selected 16 states namely; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue,Enugu, FCT, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun and Taraba.
The acting NICRAT director, explained that though the vaccine could have some mild side effects like every medicine, the side effects would be explained on the leaflets of the vaccine.
