By Hosanna Eseose
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Board has called on parents and caregivers to ensure that their nine-year-old daughters receive the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to protect them against cervical cancer.
The Acting Director of Primary Health Care in the FCT Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Nicholas Okoli, made the appeal during an Expanded Technical Working Group meeting held in Abuja.
Dr. Okoli expressed concern over the low uptake of the HPV vaccine in the FCT despite sustained awareness campaigns and sensitization efforts by government and development partners.
According to him, HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer among women, making early vaccination critical in preventing the disease.
He noted that some parents still refuse to allow their children to be vaccinated, stressing that denying children access to life-saving vaccines is contrary to the provisions of the Child Rights Act.
“The same vaccine that many affluent families pay huge sums to obtain in private health facilities is being provided free of charge in government health centres,” he said.
Dr. Okoli assured residents that the FCT Administration would continue to intensify public enlightenment campaigns to improve vaccine acceptance and protect the health of the girl child.
Stakeholders at the meeting expressed concern over the FCT’s poor performance in HPV vaccine coverage. Data presented by John Snow Incorporated (JSI), a non-governmental organisation, and published through the District Health Information System (DHIS2), revealed that the FCT has achieved only 2.14 per cent of the national target of 78 per cent for vaccinating nine-year-old girls against HPV in 2026.
Participants attributed the low coverage to inadequate awareness among parents and resistance from some private schools, which reportedly deny vaccination teams access to their premises.
Responding to the concerns, the Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), FCT Chapter, Mr. Joseph Agbana, said private schools should not be blamed entirely for the situation.
He maintained that with adequate sensitization and proper engagement of parents, schools would be more willing to support vaccination exercises.
Nigeria introduced the HPV vaccine in October 2023 and expanded the programme in May 2024 before integrating it into the routine immunisation schedule in January 2025.
Health officials therefore urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the free vaccination programme available at government health facilities and ensure that all eligible girls aged nine years are vaccinated against HPV.
Human Papillomavirus is primarily transmitted through sexual contact. Health experts recommend vaccination at an early age before exposure to the virus, making immunisation of nine-year-old girls a key preventive measure against HPV infection and cervical cancer later in life.