FG introduces HPV, malaria vaccines in routine immunization

By Doosuur Iwambe

Federal ministry of health has disclosed that it has concluded plans to introduce malaria and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) into the routine immunization programme in Nigeria to boost the health of the population.

Minister of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, announced the development at the first quarterly meeting of Northern Traditional Leaders Committee (NTLC) on Primary Health Care (PHC) delivery organized by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in Abuja.

Dr. Osagie said: “Routine immunization is a free and ‘compulsory’ service in all PHCs in Nigeria, and it’s important that mothers present their babies for immunization at the right time. It’s important for preventing different kinds of disease and improving the lives of the babies.

“We shall soon try the malaria vaccines. We have applied for the vaccines and it will be delivered soon. We would immediately introduce the vaccine into the routine immunization system. We have also applied and secured permission to be supplied the HPV vaccine which is linked to rising cases of cervical cancer among young women.

“The HPV vaccine will be introduced as soon as possible into the routine immunization system. All these would enable us build healthier and productive population if we can properly educate our people on the need for sanitation and hygiene. We should advice mothers properly on nutrition and quality diet, provide routine immunization, handle all vector-borne diseases well.

“We must recommit ourselves to stopping all forms of viruses especially polio which has been a major concern. We are beginning to realize that we, inevitably, need to strengthen our health system because we need to sustain the gains we have made over the period.

“We, particularly, need to strengthen the PHCs at grassroot. The journey to that is tedious but it’s doable. The incoming administration must focus on health, especially PHCs. Lapses at PHCs are the reason for the limited progress we have made so far.

“The success in health sector is, unarguably, a combination of all efforts especially from the traditional rulers and community leaders. We invested heavily in health care during COVID-19 but PHC system which handles over 60 per cent of all ill-health is still lacking in investment.

“The poor health indices in Nigeria, notably, maternal mortality and morbidity, are generated at the rural communities where there’s no access to health care. So, more effort is required particularly from the incoming administration to sustain the gains made so far.”

Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, in his remarks, explained that the quarterly meeting of the NTLC is a platform to assess the success achieved so far regarding PHC services at rural communities.

He said: “We have established similar committee in other geopolitical zones to enable us connect deeply with the rural communities with less challenge.”

He commended the efforts and commitments of the traditional rulers to improve access to PHC services in northern Nigeria.

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“Forget what you might have read in media, traditional and community leaders were instrumental to the success achieved against polio and other communicable diseases.”

Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammed Mera, who represented the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, appreciated the NPHCDA for the platform to discuss issues that concern the north particularly the issue of primary health care.

He promised that they would continue to do their best to ensure that women are mobilized and motivated to demand for primary health care services, especially vaccines for their babies. “We are always happy to attend and contribute our best in the discussions and implemented and then to the resolutions,” he said.