UNICEF Urges Nigerian Youth to Support HPV Vaccination Campaign for Girls

UNICEF is calling on Nigerian youth to support the second phase of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination campaign for girls aged 9-14, set to begin in May. The campaign aims to prevent cervical cancer, which is the second highest cause of cancer deaths in women after breast cancer.

Mrs. Aderonke Akinola Akinwole, UNICEF's social and behavior change specialist, urged the youth to use their platforms and networks to promote the vaccine uptake. She emphasized the strong influence students have on society and their ability to encourage HPV vaccine uptake through their platforms.

The HPV vaccination campaign seeks to educate and create awareness among women about the importance of the HPV vaccine. UNICEF is collaborating with creative design partners, such as illustrators and graphic designers, to develop compelling and engaging content across various media to support the campaign. The goal is to build steady creative partnerships that can help reach the target audience and unlock change for young people through media and technology.

An experienced research agency is being sought to conduct a synthesis report on the successes, challenges, and gaps in the HPV vaccine rollout in Nigeria. The report will analyze existing research, conduct key informant interviews, and document findings to support HPV demand generation efforts. It aims to identify misconceptions, information sources, availability of the vaccine, communication channels, and engagement of key stakeholders like teachers and health workers. The research will be conducted at the national level and in four states - Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, and Delta.

Why this matters: The HPV vaccination campaign is a critical step in preventing cervical cancer, a leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Nigeria. By engaging Nigerian youth to support and promote the campaign, UNICEF aims to increase awareness, knowledge, and uptake of the HPV vaccine, ultimately saving lives and improving women's health outcomes.

The event, organized by the Mass Communication Department of Covenant University in collaboration with UNICEF, carried the theme 'Strategic Communication for Behaviour Changes in the Digital Age'. It emphasized the importance of youth involvement in promoting health initiatives like the HPV vaccination campaign. UNICEF remains committed to partnering with Nigerian youth, creative professionals, and research agencies to ensure the success of the campaign and protect girls from cervical cancer.

Key Takeaways

• UNICEF calls on Nigerian youth to support HPV vaccine campaign for girls 9-14.
• Campaign aims to prevent cervical cancer, 2nd highest cause of cancer deaths in women.
• UNICEF collaborating with designers to create engaging content to promote vaccine uptake.
• Research agency sought to analyze HPV vaccine rollout in Nigeria and identify challenges.
• Youth involvement crucial to increase awareness, knowledge, and uptake of HPV vaccine.