- Be transparent about the benefits, side effects, Catholic Bishops enjoin health authorities, partners
- Say one in one thousand is a significant number not to be neglected
- Urge chastity education, healthy sexual lifestyle choices as a prevention strategy
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has urged the health authorities to fully inform the citizenry of the benefits and side effects of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), irrespective of the number of incidence. The recommendation came as government unveiled its campaign for vaccination of girls ages nine to fourteen against Human Papillomavirus, main cause of Cervical Cancer. In a statement jointly signed by its President, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejujuru Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri, and Secretary, Most Rev. Donatus Ogun, OSA, Bishop of Uromi; CBCN charged the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and its partners to pay unswerving attention to the reported incidence of women and girls suffering long-term pain, numbness, paralysis and infertility linked to the vaccine.
The statement read in parts, “It has been established that the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), in its various subtypes, is known to be linked to Cervical Cancer. Accordingly, efforts have been made worldwide to find a solution to minimise its spread and thereby eliminate Cervical Cancer. “There are reports that a vaccine has been found to curb the menace of HPV. Ordinarily, this should be received as good news. However, as is typical with vaccines, the HPV vaccine has been reported in some quarters to have adverse effects, which are a cause of concern as it is said to be linked with reactions in some women and girls suffering long-term pain, numbness, paralysis and infertility. “
These may be unfounded fears or conspiracy theories, as others have resolved to refer to them. Undoubtedly, people’s fears are real. The fears notwithstanding, a considerable number of our population understand that vaccines like any other medicine, have side effects. People can however, courageously decide to take a vaccine when they know that the side effect is brief fever, nausea, dry lips, etc., but they are likely to think otherwise when the side effects are potentially neuropathy, infertility among others. The fear of vaccines concerns not only those who are without medical knowledge. Many medical doctors harbour the same. “In a normal situation, and it should be so, healthcare givers should provide their patients with adequate and proper information they need to make informed choices about a given intervention.”
The statement further read, “Therefore, concerning the current campaign by the Federal Ministry of Health through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) for the universal vaccination of girls aged nine to fourteen in Nigeria against HPV, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) is calling on the NPHCDA to improve engagements to adequately and appropriately to inform the general public and eligible recipients of the benefits, and possible side effects of the vaccine. “Even if those side effects may occur one in two thousand recipients, it is still worrisome.”
CBCN’s six positions
CBCN presented its position on the HPV Vaccination Campaign. “
1. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency and collaborating partners should not dismiss the doubts and fears of the people over the safety of the HPV vaccine with a wave of the hand. The government must ensure that the vaccine is diligently scrutinised.
2. The concerned agency(ies) should equally prioritise providing vaccine acceptors with the adequate and proper information they need to make informed choices about a given intervention.
3. The NPHCDA, development partners, and other relevant agencies are strongly encouraged to promote chastity education and healthy sexual lifestyle choices as a prevention strategy against sexually transmitted infections, including HPV.
4. Since girls from ages nine to fourteen are still minors, the vaccination against HPV must come with informed parental consent.
5. For an effective campaign, now and in time to come, concerned agencies should necessarily partner with religious leaders because they are not only opinion leaders in society but also lead Churches and Mosques, which are credible means of reaching a larger population with such campaign information.
6. The Catholic Church remains committed to promoting, protecting and preserving human life to the effect that one in one thousand is a significant number not to be neglected.
CBCN noted that the Catholic Church in Nigeria has historically pioneered good health care in country since the establishment of the first standard hospital, Sacred Heart Hospital in Abeokuta, in 1895. According to the body of Nigeria’s Catholic Bishops, the collaborative efforts of the Church have continued to the present time, with over 500 hospitals and clinics as well as health training institutions spread across the country. The Catholic Bishops stressed, “Therefore, the CBCN is a very committed stakeholder in the good health fortunes and outcomes of Nigerians.”
The Federal Government introduced the HPV vaccine for girls of ages nine to 14, to prevent Cervical Cancer on Thursday, October 24, 2023. The first phase of the introduction has kicked off in 16 states – Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Enugu, FCT, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun and Taraba. Cervical Cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix. Various strains of the HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, play a role in causing most cervical cancer.
