United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) visited critical stakeholders in Ibadan on Wednesday to seek their commitment to promoting trust in and uptake of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine in Oyo State and Nigeria at large.

Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole, the social and behaviour change specialist at UNICEF Lagos, led the advocacy visitation of the UNICEF team.

Among the stakeholders the team visited were community and traditional rulers, market heads and religious leaders.

Ms Akinola-Akinwole said the essence of the advocacy visit was to create awareness among girls between nine and 14 about the importance of the HPV vaccine.

She called on all stakeholders, including parents and caregivers, to join the organisation to promote the trust and uptake of the HPV vaccine, saying that this should not be left to the government alone.

“It should be a collaboration. The HPV vaccine will be launched in Oyo State on May 27 and remain in the health centres as part of the country’s routine immunisation schedule. The vaccine, which is for girls between 9 and 14 years, is to reduce the cancer rate in women and the burden of cervical cancer among young girls,” she said.

According to her, cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death in women in the country. She, therefore, urged all stakeholders, especially parents and caregivers, to create awareness of the intake of the vaccine and allow their girls to take it. It’s not harmful; if not, the government will not approve and bring it,” Ms Akinola-Akinwole said.

(NAN)