The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa has urged Nigerians to disregard ignorant and uneducated information in the social media about the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
Alausa said this on Wednesday, while addressing newsmen after paying courtesy visit on Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State at the Lagos House, Marina.
He said that contrary to information on social media, the HPV vaccine was safe, as he encouraged young girls to take it.
”As you all know, this was rolled out yesterday by the first Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu. HPV vaccine is 100 per cent safe. Let us take all this junk in the social media out.
”This is a vaccine that has been in existence for about 18 years now. Nigeria is late to coming to adopting this vaccine. This vaccine saves life.
”Today, we have eight thousand women dying from cervical cancer in Nigeria, this vaccine can prevent cervical cancer by 95 per cent. It’s safe vaccine, we should encourage all young girls between the ages of nine and 14 years to get this vaccine.
”Infact, in other parts of the world, this HPV vaccine has been expanded to as far as 45 years old to take it. it saves life, it prevents cancer.
”This is one of the preventive things we can do, to help our healthcare system. So let me emphatically say again, HPV vaccine, human papilloma vaccine is 100 per cent safe.
”HPV vaccine is safe. Please discount any ignorant, uneducated social media information you get, this vaccine is save,” Alausa said.
