The federal government is set to commence the second phase of vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV) by May 2024 in 21 states.
The executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja.
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The first phase of the vaccination was rolled out in October 2023, targeting 7.7 million girls (aged 9 to 14) in 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The 21 states for the second phase of the vaccination are Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyl, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara.
Muyi noted that the launch of the HPV vaccine was a major step towards expanding the portfolio of vaccines that are freely available to Nigerians.
“Later this year, actually by May, we will be rolling out the second phase to states,” he said.
Speaking further, the ED expressed the federal government’s commitment to quality and affordable healthcare services in the country.
He said, “We have identified a strategy that will make every Nigerian have access to the basic service they need, wherever they may reside in Nigeria, and that is anchored around three pillars. One of the pillars is really focused on making quality primary healthcare services available, and that has a number of components under it.
“Over the next four years, we are going to be really working to make the health facilities fully functional, meaning they have what they need to provide quality services; they have the workforce, they have the commodities, and they receive technical assistance to make good use of the resources they are getting through the decentralised facility financing.”