No fewer than 266,000 girls between the ages of 9 and 14 have been vaccinated against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in Ekiti State, according to the wife of the state governor, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji.
Dr. Oyebanji made this known on Wednesday during the official launch of the OYA campaign on HPV Vaccination and Adolescent Nutrition, held at the Lady Jibowu Hall in Ado-Ekiti.
She described the HPV vaccine as a highly effective tool in the fight against cervical cancer—a deadly disease affecting women—and emphasized the importance of awareness and action in protecting young girls.
“The OYA campaign is a call to action,” she said. “It aims to raise awareness about HPV vaccination and promote healthy nutrition practices for adolescent girls.”
Dr. Oyebanji urged parents, guardians, teachers, and community leaders to actively support the campaign by spreading awareness about the life-saving potential of the HPV vaccine and the importance of good nutrition.
“Let us build a future where no girl in Ekiti dies from a preventable disease, where no girl is limited by poor health, and where every girl has the opportunity to live, learn, and lead,” she added.
Also speaking at the event, the Country Director of Girl Effect Nigeria, Mrs. Boladale Akin-Kolapo, said the campaign was targeted at adolescent girls aged 9 to 14, providing them with crucial health education, including information on nutrition and the benefits of HPV vaccination.
She noted that the initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Ekiti State Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care Development Agency, with the goal of empowering and improving the well-being of girls in the state.
Akin-Kolapo also called on community and religious leaders to serve as champions of truth and change by debunking myths and encouraging the uptake of the HPV vaccine and healthy nutrition habits.
The event featured goodwill messages from the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Filani Oyebanji; Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Peju Babafemi, Ekiti State Head of Service, Dr Folakemi Olomojobi; and representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
A major highlight of the event was the conferment of the title “Mother of the State: HPV Vaccination Vanguard Award” on the governor’s wife in recognition of her commitment to adolescent health.