UPDATE: FG SET TO INTRODUCE NEW ANTI-CANCER VACCINE – NPHCDA
Read Time:3 Minute, 27 Second
In order to combat the rising incidence of cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers, the Federal Government will add the Human Papillomavirus vaccine to the national immunization schedule in 2023 and 2024, according to Dr. Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.
He noted that the meeting was aimed at ensuring effective primary healthcare delivery in the South-East region, with a view to supporting health initiatives and providing the necessary technical support.
He emphasized the importance of traditional leaders in primary healthcare engagements and urged them to keep advocating for the provision of primary healthcare in their individual communities.
He said, “As part of our efforts to strengthen primary healthcare facilities and enhance reproductive, maternal, child, and adolescent health services across the states, we recently launched and initiated the roll-out of the Community-Based Health Research Innovative-Training and Service Programme.
“This intervention aims to optimize human resources for health, reduce maternal and newborn mortality rates, and enhance the capacity of primary healthcare facilities by recruiting skilled birth attendants, medical officers of health, and deploying CRISP resident doctors.
“Also worthy to note is that the Federal Government, in collaboration with our development partners, will be introducing the Human Papillomavirus vaccine into the national immunization schedule in 2023 and 2024.
“HPV is a commonly transmitted infection that can lead to various health issues, including cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers. The impact of HPV-related diseases is not only physical but also emotional, affecting individuals and families across our society.
During the meeting on primary healthcare delivery on Wednesday in Awka, Shuaib made these remarks.
He noted that HPV is a regularly contracted infection that can cause a number of health problems, such as cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers, and that these diseases have an emotional as well as a physical toll on patients and their families.
The Director of Disease Control and Immunization, Dr. Bassey Okposen Bassey, who attended the event in place of the NPHCDA boss, said that the engagement with the traditional rulers was a part of efforts to improve reproductive, maternal, child, and adolescent health services throughout the five states of the South-East.
He stated that the purpose of the conference was to promote health initiatives and provide the required technical support in order to ensure effective primary healthcare delivery in the Southeast region.
“We encourage our majesties to support and actively participate in immunisation activities, awareness creation, and community mobilisation efforts. Your influence and credibility can inspire positive health-seeking behaviour and promote preventive measures within your communities.
“Let us work together to combat misinformation, address vaccine hesitancy, and encourage the adoption of healthy lifestyles.”
Declaring the event open, the Anambra State deputy governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who represented the governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, said developing the healthcare system is a strong pillar of the state government.
He continued by saying that the state government had adopted a bottom-up strategy to make sure the state’s healthcare system was operational.
Dr. Walter Mulambo, the World Health Organization’s representative for the country, also gave a speech during which he noted that despite improvements in immunization rates, “zero dose children,” or kids who have never received a dose of a routine vaccination, still exist throughout the entire nation.
Mulambo said that significant effort has been put into containing variant strains of the polio virus, with a corresponding 90% drop in variants observed as of last week compared to the same period in 2022.
“This reduction is an indication of improving immunity amongst the population residing in your various domain communities. It is imperative to note that, as of today, there is no type of poliovirus detected in the South-East.
“We want to sustain this status in the South-East zone and the entirety of Nigeria and in Africa as a continent,” Mulambo added.
Speaking, the Chairman of the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers and the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, lauded the initiative and promised to play their role as critical stakeholders in driving primary healthcare in the various communities.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0