By Stellamaries Amuwa
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has assured that the federal government is doing a lot providing cancer vaccines in the country.
He spoke during the World Cancer Day Symposium hosted by Project PINK BLUE in Abuja, which addressed the economic impact of pharmaceutical company exodus in Nigeria.
The Minister said, “On 24th October, 2023, we introduced the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) into routine immunization system, targeting 7.7 million girls, the largest number in a single round of HPV vaccination in Africa.
“The vaccine is being provided for free by the Federal Ministry of Health through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners.
“Girls aged 9–14 years will receive a single dose of the vaccine, which is highly efficacious in preventing infection with HPV types 16 and 18 that are known to cause at least 70% of cervical cancers.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Mohammed Sani Musa, Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, disclosed that the Senate passed a bill on cancer research and treatment accented to by the President to give Nigerians opportunity for early detection and treatment as well as help in research in Nigeria.
He also explained that efforts are ongoing to look at tax administration “and see how we can conveniently give pharmaceuticals opportunity to come to Nigeria so that our citizens will get relief from high cost of medication in Nigeria.”
Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, Founder/CEO, Medicaid Cancer Foundation, UICC board member and the wife of the former Governor of Kebbi state, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, urged Nigerians who understand the danger of cancer to always create awareness among people who are not yet to understand it especially those living in the rural areas.
Earlier, the Executive Director of Project PINK BLUE and the convener of the event, Runcie Chidebe, said the reason he hosted the cancer symposium on the exit of pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria is because when the cost of oncology medication is high, “many patients will suffer because they cannot afford that medication”.
