Kaduna vaccinates 754,304 girls, launches campaign against cervical cancer, malnutrition

The Kaduna State Government has launched the ‘Girl Effect Oya Campaign’ to intensify efforts against cervical cancer and adolescent malnutrition in the state.

The campaign was unveiled at the Gusau Institute in Kaduna on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

It also marked the milestone of vaccinating 754,304 girls, aged 9 to 14, against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), the major cause of cervical cancer.

Speaking at the event, Kaduna State Deputy Governor Dr Hadiza Balarabe described the initiative as “a call to action, a call to move, and a call to protect.”

Balarabe, who represented by the Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Rabi Salisu, said the campaign, implemented by the UK-based Girl Effect, complements Kaduna’s ongoing HPV vaccination and adolescent health programmes.

The deputy governor stated that the campaign also seeks to engage communities in promoting early prevention and care.

Balarabe said: “This is not just about vaccines and nutrition.

“It is about our collective duty to protect and empower the next generation of girls in Kaduna State.”

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The deputy governor noted that the state’s HPV vaccination programme, which began in 2024, had so far reached over 754,000 adolescent girls.

She said efforts are being scaled up under Governor Uba Sani’s administration to expand access to vaccines and improve adolescent nutrition.

“No child should be lost to a disease we can prevent. Every girl in Kaduna deserves to grow up healthy, strong, and free from diseases we know how to stop,” she added.

Balarabe commended the dedication of frontline health workers and said Kaduna State had become a model in Northern Nigeria for integrating adolescent health into routine immunisation and social development strategies.

She called on the stakeholders, including parents, teachers, religious, and traditional leaders to support the campaign by dispelling myths and promoting healthy practices in homes, schools, markets, and places of worship.

The Star