L-r: HEWAN President, Chioma Obinna appreciating some special guests with plaque
The critical relevance of safety, security and health, in all life endeavours was duly captured at the 2024 Health Writers Association of Nigeria, HEWAN, symposium which held in Lagos.
In his interventions on the topic: HPV Vaccination in Nigeria: Challenges, prospects, and Way Forward’, Dr. Abimbola Kowale, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, reiterates the safety of the controversial Human Papiloma Virus, HPV vaccines which was introduced in Nigeria in October 2023 but was initially greeted with various misinformation, disinformation and skepticism.
Speaking through Dr Adetola Akinpelu, Immunisation Programmes Coordinator, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board (PHCB), who represented him at the event, Dr. Kowale disclosed that Nigeria delicately embraced the 90/70/90 global intervention strategy by under studying some of the African nations that keyed into it ahead of her. According to Dr. Akinpelu, the findings were impressive and encouraged Nigerian Government to also embrace it to breach the lethal impacts of cervical cancer which occupies second position as the most common cancer among Nigerian women.
In specific terms, Dr. Akinpelu said the findings revealed that, after five years of introduction, the prevalence of HPV in girls aged 13-19 in those countries decreased by 83% and prevalence of the precancerous nature also decreased by 81% indicating that the vaccine is effective in checking the cervical cancer causing virus .
Explaining further on the 90/70/90 global intervention strategy Akinpelu said that the strategy envisages that by 2030, about 90% of girls from 10 years -14 years would have been duly vacinated; while 70% of all women who have the capacity to be screened using the best available technology for screening for cervical cancer would have done so, whereas 90% of women identified with cancer or already living with the disease will have their conditions well managed.
The vaccine suffered initial stiff resistance from the people due to reasons according to the presenter ranging from skeptist who claim that Nigeria was tactically reducing its population as it can no longer supply necessary needs of its vast population by way of sterilizing her girls. In addition to this, the pessimists did not see the rationale in giving free of charges a vaccine that is quite expensive in the private sector, among other misinformation.
HEWAN Members at the event
This frustrated the initial efforts towards vaccinating the target audience but also led to gaining crucial lessons that has opened doors for acceptance and patronage. Some of the leassons learnt include the need for adequate advocacy and regular stakeholders engagement. They also discovered the roles of religious leaders in moulding opinions of their followers among other lessons, which the crusaders have diligently applied and they are yielding result.
He also disclosed that government resolved not to back out despite hitches due to the weight of the burnden of cervical cancer on the country. He stated that Last year alone, Nigeria recorded 12,075 cases, with a death toll of 7,968 adding that about 90% of affected women may have no symptoms until three years when through its body immune system the HPV will clear out. However, the remaining 10% may result in a precancerous condition which if intervention fails to come quickly may progress to fully blown cervical cancer.
Dr. Akinpelu concluded by saying that, the social intervention by government is a very positive one adding that, the vaccine is now part of routine immunization program even as he discloses that government will continue with its stakeholders engagment to assure target audience that it’s a positive and safe vaccine.
On his part, the keynote speaker: Mr Oluwatosin Jolayeni, Group President, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, PMGMAN represented at the occasion by Frank Muonemeh , the executive secretary, PMGMAN stressed the need for Nigeria to attain medicine security status, MSS. The concept of medicine security status he explains is developed by PMGMAN and implies that Nigerians should have control over how their medcinces are produced, from active pharmceutical ingredients to excipients and to finished pharmaceutical formulations saying that the end-to-end control, including research, development and affordability in the supply chain are crucial for ensuring access to safe, quality and affordable medicines. He also added that, without medicine security, achieving sustainable development Goal 3 and Universal Health Coverage may be a mirage.
Chairman of the event, Mr. Akinjide Adeosun of Rachael’s Pharma, also took his turn to address topical issues when he spoke on; STAGFLATION: The road to prosperity. From his presentation, stagflation is all about resilience and finding hope in the midst of hopelessness keeping in mind the current state of the nation. According to him, STAGFLATION is to see opportunities in the difficulties of high inflation, high unemployment and slow growth rate in Nigeria. To cope with the economic difficulties which has prompted multinationals flee the country is to diversify and become multitasking, he profered. He noted that the prevailing harsh economic realities enjoins us to revert to a maintainance and repair culture instead of discarding or trashing as in the past.
President of HEWAM, Mrs. Chioma Obinna in her welcome told her audience that the theme for this year’s event: Dwindling Local Drug Production and High Cost of Essential Medicines: Rethinking Strategies for Growth, is to provoke a conversation that may result in solutions that will temper prevailing economic hardship in the country particularly in the area of need for drugs. The event also witnessed plaque presentations to some key guests by HEWAN
