The United Nation International Children Education Fund (UNICEF), have intensified vaccination campaign on Human papillomavirus (HPV) to curtail the scourge of cervical cancer cases among teenage girls in Plateau.

The HPV vaccination coverage is targeted at girls between the ages of 9 to 14.

Speaking to Acenews online during the exercise on Friday in Jos South local government area, a focal person from UNICEF Bauchi field office, Dr. Audu David Tersoo, revealed that HPV causes majority of cervical cancer cases. "Fortunately, there is a vaccine that prevents girls from contracting this virus."

Tersoo, said why the vaccination campaign is focused mainly on teenage girls is because they are more vulnerable to the virus.
"We are currently in Jos south local government area vaccinating nine-year-old girls as part of this campaign. Although the HPV vaccine has already been introduced into Nigeria's routine immunization schedule, this campaign serves as a boost to increase coverage. Our aim is to vaccinate as many girls aged 9 to 14 as possible.
"To achieve this, we have integrated the HPV vaccination into the ongoing Polio Campaign and the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) Week. This means we're providing polio vaccines, micronutrient supplements for children and pregnant women, and administering the HPV vaccine — all in one coordinated effort.

"We are calling on all nine-year-old girls in the state to come out and receive the HPV vaccine. It is a safe and effective way to protect them from cervical cancer in the future.
"Our goal is to vaccinate every nine-year-old girl in the state. The Federal Government, with support from UNICEF and GAVI, has made adequate vaccines available. These vaccines are not only safe and effective, but also more convenient — it's now a single-dose vaccine, unlike the previous version which required two doses.

"So we encourage all eligible girls to take advantage of this opportunity and get vaccinated", Dr. Tersoo added.

Our correspondent who were at the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) model primary and secondary school as well as Nuru Islam Nursery and Primary school, situated in Gero community, Bukuru, Jos south local government area of Plateau State where medical personnel vaccinated over a hundred participants as at the time of filing this report.