Since the launch of its Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign, Nigeria has achieved impressive strides in preventing cervical Cancer in its youth. The country has successfully vaccinated millions of girls between the ages of 9 and 14 against the HPV through a focused effort that started in September 2023. This accomplishment is a major step in lessening the burden of cervical cancer, which continues to be one of the nation’s top causes of cancer-related mortality for women. The campaign’s outreach to underprivileged populations, rural villages, and urban centers demonstrated Nigeria’s dedication to health equality.
The path to this achievement started with years of planning and lobbying. Cervical cancer has been a silent threat for decades which has claimed thousands of lives every year. Acknowledging this, the Federal Ministry of Health stepped up its efforts to introduce the HPV vaccine with assistance from global groups like Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF. In accordance with international recommendations to vaccinate teenage girls before exposure to the virus, this endeavor resulted in the inclusion of the HPV vaccination in the National Primary Health Care Development Agency’s (NPHCDA) strategic plan.
Government targeted 7.7m girls between the ages of 9-14.
Launching of the HPV vaccine was implemented in various stages, each with its own timetables and statistical goals. These stages were intended to guarantee nationwide coverage, reaching millions of teenage girls nationwide and overcoming obstacles related to infrastructure, location, and vaccine hesitancy. In September 2023, the Flag-Off Phase marked the formal start of the rollout. This stage acted as the campaign’s springboard, emphasizing advocacy, public awareness, and the symbolic delivery of the first doses by state and federal officials. The government aimed to vaccinate a sizable percentage of the projected 7.7 million girls between the ages of 9 and 14 during this first phase.
With an emphasis on metropolitan areas where resources and medical facilities were more easily accessible, the main objective was to vaccinate at least 40% of the target demographic in the first month. The Multi-Age Cohort (MAC) Campaign Phase, the second phase, rolled out between September and October of 2023. All eligible females between the ages of 9 and 14 who had not previously received the vaccination were vaccinated during this phase. In urban, semi-urban, and rural regions, health personnel were stationed at schools, primary healthcare facilities, and mobile outreach locations. The government aimed to reach at least 80% of the target population by the end of October 2023.
Nigeria has integrated the HPV vaccination into its NPI.
According to reports, more than 6 million girls had received the vaccination by the end of this phase, marking a critical turning point in the battle against cervical cancer. Nigeria has now integrated the HPV vaccination into its National Immunization Program (NPI) following the completion of the MAC campaigns. Girls aged 9 can get the vaccination as part of their regular immunizations, and it is easily accessible at government-owned healthcare facilities. The Integration Phase, which started in November 2023 and is still going strong, guarantees Sustainability and offers a template for upcoming Public Health campaigns.
This phase is specifically designed to keep up the momentum behind vaccinations and ensure that each new group of girls who qualify is vaccinated. Moving forward, the government seeks to vaccinate more than 90% of eligible girls each year in order to reach nearly universal coverage by 2025. In order to bridge accessibility gaps, this stage primarily depends on the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) Infrastructure that is now in place, with plans to eventually extend coverage to private health facilities. Nigeria has shown a clear path to lowering the incidence of cervical cancer by carefully planning the implementation into three stages.
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In addition, a booster phase is planned to evaluate the campaign’s effectiveness and concentrate on vaccinating any eligible females who might have been overlooked in previous stages. Outreach to communities with low initial uptake and follow-up doses will be part of this phase. To guarantee vaccine availability and track vaccination coverage, the government also aims to set up a strong monitoring and assessment system. With this meticulous implementation, the nation is on track to achieve its goals and develop a long-lasting vaccination system.