The Ogun State government on Friday said that it remains committed to implementing life-saving initiatives and policies to ensure robust healthcare delivery and particularly tackling the burden of cancer disease.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, reiterated this commitment at the inauguration of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Champions in Abeokuta.

The initiative was a collaboration between the state government and development partners such as Pathfinder International, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ogun Family Health Initiative, among others.

Coker said that the HPV Champions selected across the state, including the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Saka Matemilola, are to help in giving adequate publicity and enlightenment on the need for girls between 9 and 14 years to take the HPV vaccine to guard against having cervical cancer in the future.

She urged the HPV Champions to see their appointment as a call to action and must henceforth consider themselves as major stakeholders in ensuring the successful integration of the HPV vaccine into routine immunisation across the communities in the state.

Coker said, “This initiative complements our broader public health strategy to improve immunization coverage and reduce the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases in Ogun State.

“By raising awareness and dispelling harmful myths, we can build community trust and significantly boost vaccine acceptance and uptake.

“Our goal is simple: to ensure that every eligible girl in Ogun State has access to the protection this vaccine offers.”

She explained that the state government will continue to ensure the availability of the HPV vaccine across all health facilities, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

Coker said the government will also continue to provide adequate training and resources, and engage with key stakeholders, including religious, traditional and community leaders, to foster trust and understanding about the HPV vaccination.

The Executive Secretary of Ogun State Healthcare Primary Board, Dr Elijah Ogunsola, described the initiative as one that will help to break all barriers of misinformation, misconceptions, and myths, among others, slowing down the acceptance of HPV in the state.

The Country Director for Pathfinder, International, Dr Amina Darayi, explained that the HPV vaccine is free, and safe, and it is one of the breakthroughs towards tackling cervical cancer among women.

Darayi pleaded with the HPV Champions to help in promoting the need for girls between 9 and 14 years to get this harmless vaccine and get protected from the risk of having cervical cancer later in life.

Matemilola also lauded the initiative, saying that it will help a lot to convince people at the grassroots and build their confidence in the safety of this HPV vaccine and the need to allow their young girls to take the vaccination just like other immunisation exercises.


https://punchng.com/ogun-restates-commitment-to-combating-cancer-scourge/