The Human Papillomavirus is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, which according to the United States’ Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, has resulted in about 43 million infections in 2018, among many people in their late teens and early 20s.
Data from the World Health Organisation indicated that a large majority of cervical cancer (more than 95 per cent) is due to HPV which is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract. The fact sheet noted that most sexually active women and men would be infected at some point in their lives, and some may be repeatedly infected.
The highest prevalence of cervical HPV among women is in sub-Saharan Africa (24 per cent), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (16 per cent), Eastern Europe (14 per cent), and South-East Asia (14 per cent).
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 years. In 2020, there were no fewer than 12,000 new cases and 8,000 deaths from cervical cancer.
The WHO added, “Prevalence in men highly varies, based on sexual trends. Evidence showed that the prevalence of the virus is higher among women living with HIV, men who have sex with men, immune-compromised individuals, people with co-infection with other sexually transmitted infections, people who receive immunosuppressive medications and children who have been through sexual abuse.
“Globally, it is estimated that 625,600 women and 69,400 men get HPV-related cancer each year. Cervical cancer was the fourth leading cause of cancer and cancer deaths in women in 2020, with an estimated 604,127 new cases and 341,831 deaths worldwide. Cervical cancers account for 93 per cent of HPV-related cancers in women.”
It was estimated that in most cases (nine out of 10), HPV goes away on its own within two years without health problems. But when HPV does not go away, it can lead to health problems like genital warts and cancer. These genital warts usually appear as a small bump or group of bumps in the genital area. They could be small or large, raised or flat, or shaped like a cauliflower.
The most effective way to stop these health problems is the use of HPV vaccines. To this end, on October 24, the Federal Government introduced the HPV vaccine into the routine immunisation system. The vaccination targets over seven million girls, which is the largest number in a single round of HPV vaccination in the African region.
The HPV vaccine is being provided for free by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the WHO and other partners.
Girls aged nine to 14 years will receive a single dose of the vaccine, which is highly efficacious in preventing infection with HPV types 16 and 18 that are known to cause at least 70 per cent of cervical cancers. The five-day mass vaccination campaign in schools and communities will be carried out during the inaugural rollout in 16 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
After this, the vaccine would be incorporated into routine immunisation schedules within health facilities. The second phase of the vaccination introduction is scheduled to begin in May 2024 in 21 states.
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