HPV second deadliest virus affecting women — Osun health official

The Assistant State Immunisation Officer, Osun State Primary Health Care Development Board, Moshood Alabi, has described Human Papillomavirus, HPV, as the second deadliest virus affecting women of childbearing age, leading to cervical cancer.

Alabi also explained that the virus is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact during sexual intercourse and often presents no visible symptoms, adding that there is currently no known medical cure for it.

He made this known while speaking at a one-day sensitisation meeting on the Human Papillomavirus, HPV, vaccination and the introduction of the Measles-Rubella, MR, vaccine, under the Sydani Prime Project on Thursday in Osogbo.

According to Alabi, preventive measures include early vaccination before sexual exposure, delaying sexual activity, limiting the number of sexual partners, and consistent condom use.

He further advocated for women to undergo Pap smear tests every five years as an effective means of determining their cervical health status.

He said, “The HPV vaccine is very safe. Though mild side effects may occur. It is not meant for pregnant women and is only for preventive purposes.”

Also speaking, Akande Sina Adewale, the State Health Promotion Officer, said the meeting was part of the Sydani Prime Project’s intervention to enhance stakeholder engagement and strengthen health communication in the state.

He urged participants to be open minded and to fully grasp the reasons behind the meeting, expressing optimism that its objectives would be achieved.

Akande emphasised the crucial role of stakeholders in promoting sensitisation and awareness on HPV and MR vaccination through Advocacy, Communication, and Social Mobilisation, ACSM, activities.

“The purpose is to improve collaboration with stakeholders and ensure wider community participation in the vaccination campaigns,” he stated.

In her remarks, Oluwatoyin Akintunde, the State Team Lead for the Prime Project, Sydani Group, said the initiative aims to increase awareness and vaccination coverage for both HPV and MR across Osun State.

She explained that the project, funded by UNICEF, is a two-in-one intervention, noting that the HPV vaccine was first introduced in Nigeria in 2023 and became part of the routine immunisation schedule in October 2024 for girls aged nine to fourteen.

Akintunde added that “ACSM activities are currently being implemented in 12 states, including Osun, with 27 local governments supported for HPV vaccination and all 30 local governments targeted for the MR campaign.”

She outlined the project’s objectives as “promoting vaccine awareness, addressing misconceptions, increasing community engagement, and supporting service delivery to boost vaccine uptake. The national HPV coverage currently stands at about 15 percent.”

Akintunde further announced that the MR immunisation exercise in Osun State is scheduled to hold between January 20 to 29, 2026.

She urged all stakeholders to actively support the campaign for its success.

Dr Coker of the World Health Organisation, WHO, sensitised participants on the MR vaccine, explaining that Rubella, though mild in adults and children, remains underreported in Nigeria and poses a high risk to women of childbearing age, leading to Congenital Rubella Syndrome, CRS.