By Ijeoma Ukazu
Over 3.9 million Nigerian girls aged nine and 14 have been vaccinated with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine against cervical cancer since it rolled out the vaccination exercise in October, the federal government has said.
Speaking during a virtual event themed “Cervical Cancer and HPV vaccination: Matters Arising”, organised by the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria (NRHJN) with support from Marie Stopes International of Nigeria, MSION, Dr. Garba Rufai, Ag. Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, said no serious adverse events had been recorded among those vaccinated.
In October, the federal government introduced the HPV vaccine into its routine immunisation system, aiming to reach 7.7 million girls in the targeted age group with a single dose of the vaccine.
Rufai, who represented Dr Muyi Aina, Executive Director/CEO of the NPHCDA, in his presentation titled, “The Role of the NPHCDA in Mitigating the Challenges and Bottlenecks around Vaccines and Mass Vaccination Programmes in Nigeria,” said the vaccines were being well received despite concerns raised in certain quarters.
He said, “We have been able to start in 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and we still have three states that we are yet to commence. In some of these states, they are almost running out of vaccines because they are being accepted in huge numbers.
“From these 12 states, we have almost vaccinated four million young girls. We are around 3.9 million plus, and by the end of today (Friday), we might be crossing the four million mark. By the time Kano state starts, we would close out close to five million.
“In all of these numbers, we have not seen one serious Adverse Event Following Immunisation, AEFI, not one. It is remarkable being able to put about four million needles into people and none of the side effects, not even the early ones that we normally see have not happened.”
He added that there were initial gaps in information communication about the vaccine, however, affirmed that the government was up to the task of ensuring that the exercise was successful.
“Introducing a vaccine is a process. There are activities lined up. We are building capacity and reminding ourselves about what vaccines are what they do and their possible adverse side effects, so vaccine safety monitoring by the NPHCDA and NAFDAC is ongoing.
“It is a country introduction, and there is a monitoring and surveillance system in place not just for the HPV but for polio, measles, and the pentavalent vaccines,” he stated.
Also speaking at the virtual event, Professor Oyewale Tomori, renowned virologist and former Vice Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, said Nigeria had not done enough to stem the tide of false information and misconception about the HPV vaccine.
Tomori, a former World Health Organisation, WHO, Consultant, in his presentation titled, “Vaccine Apathy: What Else to do Differently.” said that Nigeria had not done all that it should do when it needed to.
“On this issue of HPV vaccination, have we done enough? I say no, I do not think so, given all the misinformation that is going on now. We have not done enough. We have left gaps in information, rumours, and false information that have filled those gaps.
“The introduction of the HPV vaccination information should have started way back, at least six or seven months ago. What the government is now doing is medicine after death. We should learn from the past and continuously update our information. We need to be moving forward with the world by relating and translating data,” he remarked.
According to Tomori, it is the action of the people that determines whether we control the epidemic or not. It is not the government that only gives guidelines.
“We should start our awareness early, leave no gaps. We must aggressively counter fake news and rumours and consciously be ahead of the rumour mongers. It is an internal fight, and we must continue to fight it. The information must be correct and complete,” he added.
Prof Rose Anorlu, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, said that the purpose of the vaccination was to prevent and
In her presentation “Cervical Cancer: The Right Communication for Prevention”, she stressed that cervical cancer screening has been shown to reduce the rate of the disease.
Anorlu, who heads the Oncology & Pathological Studies, at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, argued that cervical cancer is the fourth most prevalent cancer globally, even as she stressed that the HPV vaccine was the primary prevention for the disease.
“Mathematical model shows that the vaccine can last up to 20 years without a booster dose. A single dose is equally as effective as two or three doses, but it is not yet known if the vaccine can give lifetime protection.
“Awareness of a disease is key in the prevention. It is right to say cervical cancer screening than screening for cervical cancer. They do not mean the same thing. Cervical cancer screening is to detect the pre-cancer of the cervix.
“Screening is not for detection of invasive cervical cancer. It is for the detection of the pre-cancer of the cervix. The pre-cancer is easy to treat, and treatment gives above 90 per cent cure rate and prevents development of invasive cervical cancer.”