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Healthcare workers in Nasarawa State, have lamented the poor turnout of girls between the ages of 9 to 14 years across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state for vaccination against the deadly Human Papilloma Virus.
The state Health Educator, Ishaya Amegwa lamented the situation at a one-day Media Training on HPV vaccination in Lafia, the state capital on Friday, which was organised by Community Link for Health and Family Planning Advocacy, in collaboration with Pathfinder International.
He explained that HPV is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract, mainly transmitted through sexual contact, adding that most people become infected with HPV shortly after the onset of sexual activity.
He lamented that despite several campaigns, only a total of 2,158 vaccinations against HPV were recorded between the months of January and February 2025 across the state.
Amegwa narrated that within the months under review, Lafia the state capital emerged as the least vaccinated LG with only 33 persons, while Obi LGA emerged as the highest for the HPV vaccination with a total of 423 persons.
“Others are Karu LGA, 270 persons; Nasarawa 162; Nasarawa Eggon 159; Toto 33; Wamba 130; Akwanga 90; Awe 246; Doma 117; Keana 130; Keffi 120; and Kokona 245,” he said.
While expressing displeasure with the statistics available on the vaccination rate, the health expert called for wider and more effective grassroots sensitisation on the virus to curb the spread.
On the efficacy of the vaccine, he advised parents and guardians to redouble their efforts in ensuring that they access the vaccination for their children and wards at all government healthcare centres in the state, adding that it is free, safe, and effective.
He, therefore tasked media practitioners and all stakeholders with public awareness of the HPV vaccination exercise to hinder the deadly virus from negatively affecting the health of females in the state.
On his part, the Assistant Director of News, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria in charge of the North-Central zone, Shimataver Aondoakaa while presenting two papers tagged “Understanding Roles of the Media, and Issue-Based Reporting/Health Programming”, tasked media professionals to midwife ideas that would change the society’s negative attitude towards HPV vaccination in the state.
“I want to use this opportunity to challenge every one of us, Journalists to advocate for cancer prevention for our females. Let us encourage parents through our several media platforms to take their female children for the HPV vaccination exercise currently ongoing across the state,” he added.
Earlier in her speech, the Chairperson of Community Link for Health and Family Planning Advocacy, Mary Ashenanye announced that the training was aimed at building the capacity of journalists on the HPV advocacy agenda.
She expressed confidence that the media as agenda setters can address myths and misconceptions about the HPV vaccination, which had troubled the success of the vaccination exercise in the state.
Our correspondent reports that the one-day training session had media practitioners from private and public media establishments in the state and beyond.
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