Group takes fight against cervical cancer to grassroots

From: Femi Oyelola in Kaduna

Worried by the low intake of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccine, the Girl Effect Nigeria, in collaboration with Hope for Communities and Children (H4CC) took campaign to some Local Government Areas in Kaduna State.

The group yesterday gathered health workers from different Primary Healthcare Wards in Chikun and Kubau LGA for sensitization of the new digital app introduced to create awareness on the HPV vaccine.

Speaking to the media, one of the Facilitators, Garba D. Umar  said the goal of the training is to address the push-back experience in three LGAs of the State, Kaduna South and Kubau.

He explained that the training convened Community Health Extension Workers (CHEW) representing different PHC Wards in each LGA.

“These are people who are involved in normal or daily routine immunization in various Health Facilities and it’s a collaboration between the health and education sector.

“So, what we are doing is to teach them the technicalities of handling the digital tool to capture the consent of people in the communities, their perception of general immunization, and the HPV.

The Facilitator further explained that, after the training, the participants would be deployed to the communities to hold sessions with the people to change their behavior towards immunization, particularly the HPV Vaccination.

Speaking on the response of the participants to the training, he disclosed that about 95 percent are highly competent and ready to leverage the training while the remaining five percent are still trying to pick up but are equally enthusiastic about it.

“We have taught them entry activities into the communities, how to address the people because you just can’t walk into a place and do as you wish.

“Once we can achieve the change of perception and focus, we are going to do active re-vaccination of those who missed out in schools or some designated point like the Village Head’s house.”