Background and Context:
As a way of meeting Target 4 of the Revised World Cancer Declaration 2013, Breast Without Spot (BWS) launched a school-based cervical cancer vaccination awareness initiative on World Cancer Day 2014 with the aim of increasing awareness and uptake of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in Nigeria. With a population of over 160 Million, Nigeria remains the most populous Nation in Africa. About 50.34% of the 28,903 newly-diagnosed cases of cervical cancer in West Africa occur among Nigerian women. The Country’s hopes of accessing GAVI funding to enable mass vaccination of school-aged girls like fellow African Countries such as Uganda is far-fetched due to the National DPT-Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus vaccine coverage of Nigeria standing as low as 43% against the 70% required to access GAVI funding.
Aim:
To increase awareness and/or
uptake of cervical cancer vaccination among parents of school-aged children,
heads of schools, Teachers and the general populace in Nigeria.
To encourage Philanthropists to sponsor HPV vaccination of school-aged children
in public schools whose parents might not be able to afford the vaccines
Strategy/Tactics:
Hold series of awareness workshops, partnership with Philanthropists, Schools heads, Ministries of Education and Health, Parent-Teachers Forums, FBOs, CBOs.
Programme/Policy Process:
Increase awareness by educating private Secondary Schools heads in Lagos State at a 'pilot' one-day awareness workshop on June 13th,2014. Launching of ‘Journalist Cancer Control Advocate Award’ to encourage support for cancer control advocacy among Nigerian Journalists and media organizations. Media support will be particularly beneficial to the vaccination program.
Outcomes/What was learned:
(Will be updated after June 13th)Key informant interviews among a cross-section of school heads in Lagos State revealed low level of awareness of HPV vaccines. Rumors that the HPV vaccines available are ineffective among black women is a potential threat to the overall success of this initiative
-