Nigeria Vaccinates Over 12 Million Girls Against Cervical Cancer in Nine Months

In a significant public health achievement, the Nigerian government has vaccinated over 12 million girls against cervical cancer within a nine-month period. This milestone was announced by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu during the launch of the Partnership to Eliminate Cervical Cancer in Nigeria (PECCiN) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The nationwide rollout of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine commenced in October 2023, targeting girls aged 9 to 14 years. The initiative was spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, with support from global partners including Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in Nigeria, despite being largely preventable through vaccination. The HPV vaccine is known to prevent over 90% of cervical cancer cases.

The PECCiN initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on health, aiming to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat by 2030. The First Lady emphasized the importance of collective action, urging development partners, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions to contribute resources, expertise, and innovation to the national campaign.

This large-scale vaccination effort is part of Nigeria's broader strategy to protect 16 million girls by 2025. The success of the program demonstrates the country's commitment to safeguarding the health and dignity of its women and girls.

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