The Edo State Government has finalized arrangements for the intensification and continuous routine administration of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine across all Primary Health Centres and designated health facilities in the state. The initiative, which officially commenced on October 28, 2025, will run for twelve weeks, with outreach-based vaccination scheduled once a week until December.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement session held at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA) in Benin City, the Executive Secretary of the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EDPHCDA), Dr. Coulson Oahimire Osoikhia, represented by the State Immunization Officer, Mrs. Omogun Nogie Elfrida, explained that the first two weeks of the campaign would feature two vaccination days each to compensate for the delayed start.
Dr. Osoikhia urged parents, guardians, and caregivers to seize the opportunity to vaccinate their nine-year-old daughters, stressing that the HPV vaccine is a proven safeguard against cervical cancer. He emphasized that the exercise is not only about immunization but also about sensitization, ensuring that communities understand the vaccine’s benefits, safety, and the roles stakeholders must play in its success.
The Edo State Coordinator of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Mr. Ighodaro Lawani Osawe, called on stakeholders to leverage every available platform—traditional, religious, and civic—to spread accurate information about the vaccine. He noted that collaboration among community leaders, civil society organizations, and NGOs has historically been key to the success of vaccination campaigns.
Adding her voice, the State Health Education Officer, Mrs. Irene Uabor, highlighted that Edo State had first introduced the HPV vaccine in 2024 for nine-year-old girls. She reiterated that the vaccine remains the only preventive measure against cervical cancer caused by HPV, a disease with a troubling prevalence in both Edo State and Nigeria at large.
Mrs. Uabor further stressed that vaccination in childhood is the foundation of a healthy adult population, assuring residents that beyond the current campaign, the HPV vaccine will remain available free of charge at all Primary Health Centres and facilities offering routine immunization.
Stakeholders present at the engagement included local health education officers, school principals, civil society representatives, and members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, all of whom pledged to amplify awareness campaigns in their respective communities
