The First Lady of the Ekiti State, Dr. Mrs Olayemi Oyebanji has called on parents and guardians to present their daughters between the ages of 9 and 14 years of age for immunization against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a major cause of cervical cancer.
Ekiti News reports that the Wife of the Governor made the call at the flag off ceremony of the HPV vaccination campaign ceremony held at Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti.
Dr. Olabanji said that the immunization exercise was a significant milestone in the present administration’s collective efforts towards protecting the health and future of the young girls and women in Ekiti State.
“To the parents and guardians here today, I urged you to take advantage of this opportunity to protect your daughters. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. Let’s all become ambassadors for this cause , spreading the words in our communities and ensuring that no girl is left behind in this campaign.”. She urged .
The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani, in his remarks, disclosed that the state is aiming to vaccinate over 300,000 girls between the ages of 9 and 14 years across the state during the 5-Day exercise .
Dr. Filani while expressing confidence in the safety and potency of the vaccine, noted that the vaccine has been confirmed to be safe and effective by the NAFDAC, WHO and other relevant global agencies to prevent HPV the most common cause of Cervical Cancer.
H noted that the campaign was not just only about vaccinations, but also to create awareness about the deadly disease.
The Commissioner added that by vaccinating the girl-child , the state is providing them with a shield against devastating disease and thus giving them the opportunity to lead a healthier and fulfilling life.