HPV vaccine more effective when taken in early adolescence — PAN

The Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN) has said that the single-dose HPV vaccine Nigeria introduced into its routine immunisation programme in October 2023 is more effective when it is taken in early adolescence.

Dr Foluso Balogun, a consultant paediatrician at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, and immunisation champion, disclosed a one-day school outreach on the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine in collaboration with the International Paediatric Association at the Anglican Commercial Grammar School in Ibadan.
Balogun, a PAN’s immunisation champion, said the vaccine is more protective against HPV, the organism that causes cervical cancer between the ages of 10 and 14 because at that time, many of the girls are not sexually exposed.

“From following up the cohorts that took the vaccine earlier, they discovered that the vaccines had the highest effectiveness in particular age groups,” she added.

She said the HPV vaccine is safe and available in PHCs across the state and urged them to tell others about the benefits of taking the vaccine.

According to her, cervical cancer kills a woman every hour, but a single dose of the vaccine is protective against cervical cancer as well as cancers of other parts of the body such as the head, neck, throat, penis, and anus.

Dr Balogun declared that PAN is campaigning that all girls take the HPV vaccine because cervical cancer is preventable in almost all cases.

“We want all our girls to be protected so that we are sure that they are protected from cervical cancer. We want them to live a healthy life; we want them to live long. Mortality from cervical cancer is high. If vaccination can prevent this, then we can do it.

“So, we want parents to avail ourselves of this opportunity and allow our girl child to be vaccinated. We appreciate the federal government for making the vaccine available for our girls.

“We are also asking that the vaccine be made available to the boys so that they will be covered from all HIV-related cancers. Cancers of the head and neck are more common in males.”

The principal of Anglican Commercial Grammar School, Mrs Oluwakemi Ajadi, appreciated PAN for the school outreach and the donated sanitary pads to the girls, saying that some girls don’t know when their menses will come and their uniforms get messed up.

She urged mothers to ensure that their daughters take the HPV vaccine because prevention is better than cure.

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