DEPOWA Prepares Girls for HPV Vaccine Launch with Cancer Sensitization

DEPOWA Prepares Girls for HPV Vaccine Launch with Cancer Sensitization

The Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) on Thursday sensitized adolescent girls on cancer awareness, ahead of the nationwide launch of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine on October 24, 2023.

DEPOWA President, Mrs Oghogho Musa spoke at a medical outreach organized by DEPOWA for adolescent girls from tri-service schools in Abuja.

She said the campaign was to enlighten the girls and inform their peer group in school and home about the HPV vaccine so they can be vaccinated.

“This is because Nigeria has one of the highest death rates among women and children hence my passion towards providing you with adequate information that you need to prevent or fight this scourge,” she said.

Mrs Musa said the month of October was cancer awareness month and it was important because breast cancer was the second most common cancer in the world while cervical cancer was the fourth most frequent cancer in women.

She said the two conditions had taken a lot of lives of women, but there were also positive stories of survivors amongst them.

Mrs Musa said the 3-day medical outreach was aimed at creating awareness on breast and cervical cancers and its prevention, teaching the girl-child on how to examine her breast at home to detect lumps early, and providing free cervical cancer screening and Blood pressure check to over 200 wives of non-commissioned officers.

“The outreach would also sensitize over 200 Adolescent girls from tri-service schools on Human Papilloma Virus Infection and its Vaccine to prevent their generation from Cervical Cancer.

Mrs Musa said the program would round up with free medical check-up for DEPOWA members and a road march/aerobics exercise to encourage women to be physically active and take care of their health.

She urged the students to be good ambassadors of DEPOWA and to spread the message of cancer awareness to their peers and family members.

PRNigeria reports that the national launch, which begins October 24, is for girls aged nine to 14 after the federal government concluded to integrate the vaccine into routine immunisation by 2025.

By PRNigeria