GPHCDA, UNICEF Partners Stakeholders for More Awareness on Cervical Cancer.
By Muhammad Jamil Abubakar.
Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF and other development partners has organized a stakeholders engagement meeting with Religious Leaders, Traditional Leaders, Principals of Schools as well as the media on the dangers associated with Cervical Cancer.
The meeting aims to sensitize stakeholders about the benefits of Human Papillomavirus HPV Vaccines as well as create awareness for the public, especially on the screening and testing of women.
Speaking during the engagement meeting, a renowned Professor of Clinical Microbiology in Gombe State Professor Muhammad Manga, said engaging traditional and religious leaders in discussions about HPV Is crucial for community-based health interventions.
Professor Manga who works at the Federal Teaching Hospital and Gombe State University said Human papillomavirus HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection and the cause of virtually all cervical cancer and also other cancers including anal, vaginal, vulvar, and penile cancers.
He said non-sexual active girls between 9 and 14 years are eligible for the vaccine which is highly efficacious in preventing infection with HPV types 16 and 18 that are known to cause most cervical cancer among women.
He said passing the right information to School Principals, Religious Leaders, and Traditional Leaders on the benefits of HPV vaccines will go a long way in preventing cervical cancer among women.
Some of the religious leaders representing Jama’atul Nasrul Islam JNI Malam Musa Abdullahi Muhammad and Christian Association Of Nigeria CAN Reverend Ishaya Marwa said as religious leaders they will work with the government and other development partners to ensure the success of the program.
The religious leaders said they are now fully convinced about the vaccines and will educate their followers to dispel the myths associated with vaccines.
A District Head from Kaltungo Ahmad Ibrahim said traditional leaders have proven over time to be undisputable when it comes to educating their subjects.
The District Head said traditional institutions are close to their subject stressing the need to collaborate with government and development partners such as UNICEF and WHO in addressing the prevalence of HPV in Gombe State.
Also speaking during the stakeholders meeting, the Principal of Government Science Secondary School Gombe, Abubakar Sadiq Sulaiman emphasized the need for principals to educate teachers and students on the benefits of HPV vaccines as well as highlighting the dangers of cervical cancer among girls.
Abubakar Sadiq Sulaiman who is also the President of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary School ACOPSS Gombe State Chapter called on other Principals and Head Teachers to work closely with the Parent Teachers Association to enlighten girls from their schools to embrace the HPV vaccines with good faith as it has been proven to be effective.
