According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 cause at least 70 per cent of cervical cancers and pre-cancerous cervical lesions among women of childbearing age.

Evidence also links HPV with cancers of the anus, vulva, vagina, penis, and oropharynx.

The disclosure was made by Dr Mustapha Umar Mai-Iyali, the World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Officer, Bauchi State, during a one day media engagement, organized by USAID-IHP in collaboration with Journalists for Public Health Development and Initiative(J4DP) and Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (BASPHCDA), held at the Hazibal hotel in Bauchi on Saturday.

He however stressed that HPV vaccine introduction for girls from the ages of 9-14 years will potentially avert 71,000 deaths annually if target coverages are reached, the World Health Organization has said

Information has it that HPV vaccine will be officially introduced in Nigeria on the 25th September 2023, Bauchi is among the 16 states that will benefit from the vaccination exercise.

While presenting a paper titled, “Update/ Preparedness on HPV Introduction”, Mustapha Mai-Iyali said that cervical cancer is a type of cancer that develops in a woman’s cervix, stressing that it is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide.

According to him, “Experts stated in 2018 alone, it caused an estimated 311,000 deaths worldwide. The majority of these cases were reported in low- and middle-income countries where approximately 84 percent of global cases and nearly 90 percent of deaths from the disease occur”

He added that, “A research by The Lancet reveals that more than 44 million women globally, stand to develop cervical cancer between 2020 and 2069. It also warned that deaths from cervical cancer will increase a further 50 per cent by 2040, and that many women, their families and communities will be impacted if desirable action is not taken”

According to him, “What HPV does is that it invades the cells of the cervix when infected through either anal, oral or vaginal sex. So once that happens, it goes to the cells and causes what we call continuous DNA replications.”

He also said that some of the warning signs of cervical cancer include blood spots or light bleeding between or following periods, menstrual bleeding that is longer and heavier than usual, bleeding after intercourse, douching or a pelvic examination, Increased vaginal discharge, pain during sexual intercourse and bleeding after menopause.

He then advised Journalists to be guided by their professional ethics while reporting health issues in order not scare clients away from accessing healthcare services.

Mustapha Mai-Iyali said that vaccines are not always enough; efforts are made to reach the targeted audience during mass vaccination ensuring that WHO will ensure effective vaccine administration in Bauchi state. (Nigerian Tribune)

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