The statement noted that a five-day mass vaccination campaign in schools and communities will be carried out during the inaugural roll-out in 16 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Nigeria on Tuesday introduced the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into its routine immunisation system, as part of efforts to protect teenage girls against cervical cancer and other related diseases.
This was disclosed in a joint statement issued by GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The statement indicates that the Nigerian government aims to reach 7.7 million girls with life-saving vaccines, the largest number in a single round of HPV vaccination in the African region.
Vaccination campaign
The international agencies said a five-day mass vaccination campaign in schools and communities will be carried out during the inaugural roll-out in 16 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
It said the vaccine will then be incorporated in routine immunisation schedules within health facilities noting that the second phase of the vaccination introduction is set to start in May 2024 in 21 states.
The WHO representative in Nigeria, Walter Mulombo, said this is a pivotal moment in Nigeria's efforts to lower the burden of cervical cancer - one of the few cancers that can potentially be eliminated through vaccination.
Mr Mulombo said with support from the WHO country office in Nigeria and other partners, more than 35,000 health workers have so far been trained in preparation for the campaign and subsequent vaccine delivery in all health facilities.
He said vaccination sites have also been established in all 4,163 wards across the 16 states included in the phase one roll-out, to ensure no eligible girl is left behind.
He said mobile vaccination units have also been set up to ensure that remote communities can access the vaccine.
"We are committed to supporting the government to increase access to the HPV vaccine to protect the health and well-being of the next generation of women," he said.
"WHO recommends that HPV vaccination is included in the national immunisation programmes of countries where cervical cancer is a public health priority, where its cost-effective and sustainable implementation is feasible."
In his remark, the Managing Director of Country Programmes Delivery at Gavi, Thabani Maphosa, said everyday, cervical cancer inflicts profound loss and devastation on families across Nigeria.
Mr Maphosa said it also disproportionately impacts the lives of women. "And yet, it is a disease that can be prevented."
"With the HPV vaccine now available in Nigeria for eligible adolescent girls at no cost, communities now have the most effective tool to fight cervical cancer, and the nation has an opportunity, collectively, to save millions of lives," he said.
Vaccines availability
UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, said the agency has procured nearly 15 million HPV vaccines on behalf of the Nigerian government.
Ms Munduate said the children's agency has produced informational materials, including radio and TV jingles in multiple local languages to dispel misinformation and rumours.
To further the outreach, UNICEF also supported academia and researchers with two rounds of readiness assessments to understand the population's sentiments on the HPV virus and vaccine.
"In our shared quest for a brighter future, the introduction of the HPV vaccine in Nigeria represents a monumental stride towards safeguarding our girls from the grips of cervical cancer," she said.
"This vaccine doesn't just prevent a disease; it promises a life where our young women can thrive, unburdened by the spectre of this grave health concern."
HPV, Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer, a type of cancer that develops in a woman's cervix, is the fourth most common cancer among women globally
In Nigeria, cervical cancer is the third most common cancer and the second most frequent cause of cancer deaths among women aged between 15 and 44.
In 2020 - the latest year for which data is available - the country recorded 12,000 new cases and 8,000 deaths from cervical cancer.
Research by The Lancet also reveals that more than 44 million women globally stand to develop cervical cancer between 2020 and 2069.
It also warned that deaths from cervical cancer will increase a further 50 per cent by 2040 and that many women, their families, and communities will be impacted.
Although the causes of cancer are unknown, 14 out of the 100 types of HPV strains have been identified to cause at least 99 per cent of cervical cancer cases.
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According to WHO, HPV types 16 and 18 cause at least 70 per cent of cervical cancers and pre-cancerous cervical lesions.
There is also evidence linking HPV with cancers of the anus, vulva, vagina, penis, and oropharynx.
WHO estimates that cervical cancer could be the first cancer to be eliminated if 90 per cent of girls are vaccinated against HPV, 70 per cent of women are screened, and 90 per cent of women with the disease receive treatment.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate said the loss of about 8000 Nigerian women yearly from a disease that is preventable is completely unacceptable.
Mr Pate said parents can avoid physical and financial pain by protecting their children with a single dose of the vaccine.
He said the onset of the vaccination campaign is an opportunity to safeguard young girls from the scourge of cervical cancers many years into the future.
"As a parent myself, I have four daughters, all of them have had the same HPV vaccine to protect them against cervical cancer. I'd like to implore fellow parents to dutifully ensure that this generation of our girls disrupt the preventable loss of lives to cervical cancer in addition to other untold hardship, loss, and pain," he said.
