Following the launching of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine exercise in Ekiti on Monday, children who took the vaccine have expressed willingness to convince their friends to take the vaccine in the state.
Cross section of the children who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune after being vaccinated said that they would endure the slight pain of the vaccination to preserve their future from deadly cervical cancer.
The HPV vaccination exercise targeted at girl children between 9 and 14 years was aimed at preventing cervical cancer and would be available across the Primary Healthcare Centers.
Speaking with our correspondent, a 10-year-old pupil of Ado Grammar School, Falodun Eniola expressed delight in taking the vaccination, noting that she would serve as an ambassador in convincing other pupils and friends to take the vaccine.
Eniola said, ”I just took my vaccine and it is smooth, it is just the normal pain when you take other injections and vaccines.
“It is for my future and I am willing to protect my future from cervical cancer because I want to be alive and become great in life.”
On her part, James Mercy, 13-year old from Community High School said that she has been hearing news about cervical cancer and the danger in the body, expressing joy that the vaccines would save her from the deadly disease.
“It is not painful and I didn’t feel anything unusual so far. When I get to school, I will inform my classmates to take the vaccines,“ she said.
Also, 11-year-old Ayomide Oladeji said, ”I have taken the vaccines and I hope that it is better for my future, because I don’t want to die.”
A school teacher, Johnson Adedeji said that the campaign for more pupils to take the vaccines would be intensified, noting that parents are beginning to release their wards to be vaccinated.
Speaking during the launch of the HPV vaccination exercise, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services in the state, Dr Oyebanji Filani, said the vaccination was targeted at stimulating the body’s immune system to produce antibodies against the HPV among the girl-child.
The commissioner who explained the exercise undertaken by the Ekiti State Primary Health Care Agency, assured stakeholders that the vaccine is safe and healthy towards the elimination of cervical cancer.
He tasked parents and guardians to embrace the vaccine by encouraging their wards to participate in the exercise, adding that over 300,000 girl-children between the age of 9-14 years will benefit from the exercise across the state.
Filani said, “HPV helps to prevent cervical cancer, cervical cancer is one of the deadly cancers that affects women. HPV helps to prevent cervical cancer.
“The idea of the HPV vaccine is prevention and it’s similar to some other vaccines that children have taken when they were much younger. Whether it’s the polio vaccine the measles vaccine or any of the other vaccines, this vaccine will be given starting from children between the age of 9 and 14.
“I would like to encourage all mothers and fathers that this is a vaccine that has been properly checked by NAFDAC. It has been certified by the Federal Ministry of Health and certified by the State.
The wife of the governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, who spoke at the launching said, “Prevention is better than cure. This vaccine is an antidote against HPV to prevent cervical cancer.
“It’s for the benefit of everyone and I enjoin our parents to allow our wards to take it.We want to assure our parents that this vaccine is safe and it has no harm on our kids.”
The Director General of the Primary Health Care Development Agency in Ekiti State, Dr Ayodele Seluwa, described the vaccine as a huge investment in the lives of the girl-child who he said were future generations.
According to him; “Immunisation services are not new in any environment. The issue of HPV came on board and we want to make sure that we invest in this. Our investment is for the future not this present time.
“We need to guide against it in this period of their early stages. The best time to give this injection is between the ages of 9-14 years. We are talking about the future investment and the emergence of cervical cancer.
“To really make sure that we sustain this, we will integrate it into the routine immunisation services so that when you visit any health centre, definitely this will be part of it. After this campaign, you will have this vaccine in our facilities.”
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