Cancer: Bauchi Vaccinates Girls Against HPV

To stem the spread of cervical cancer among girls, the Bauchi State government has commenced a vaccination campaign against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) across the state.

The focus of the vaccination are girls aged nine to 14 in order to ensure that they are protected against the virus as they grow up to maturity preparatory to childbearing period.

At the ceremony at Government Comprehensive Secondary School Bakari Dukku, Governor Bala Mohammed expressed optimism that the HPV vaccine would reduce the burden of cancer in the state.

The governor who was represented by the secretary to the state government (SSG), Barrister Ibrahim Mohammed Kashim, said that his administration in collaboration with development partners is prepared for the mass vaccination of female children aged 9-14 years across the 20 local government areas in the state against the disease.

He said the exercise would be taken to health facilities, public and private schools, markets, social gatherings, religious places and communities in order to reach out-of-school girls.

He called on parents, caregivers, school proprietors and managers, headmasters and principals of government, private and faith-based schools to avail their children and students of the rare opportunity to receive the very important vaccine.

The executive chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (BASPHCDA), Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, enumerated some of the warning signs of cervical cancer in a woman of reproductive age.

To him, the signs include blood spots or light bleeding between or following periods, menstrual bleeding that is longer and heavier than usual.

He identified other symptoms to include bleeding after intercourse, douching, or a pelvic examination and the increased vaginal discharge as well as pain during sexual intercourse or bleeding after menopause.