PRIMARY HEALTHCARE AGENCY URGES FG TO INTRODUCE NEW ANTI-CANCER VACCINE

The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA Dr. Faisal Shuaib, has disclosed that the Federal Government will be introducing a new anti-cancer vaccine called the Human PapillomaVirus vaccine into the national immunisation schedule in 2023 and 2024 to tackle the increasing rate of cervical, anal and oropharyngeal cancers.

Shuaib stated these in Awka, today, during the quarterly review meeting of the South-East Traditional Rulers Committee on primary healthcare delivery.

The NPHCDA boss, who was represented at the event by the Director, of Disease Control and Immunisation, Dr Bassey Okposen Bassey, said the engagement with the traditional rulers was part of efforts to strengthen primary healthcare facilities and enhance reproductive, maternal, child and adolescent health services across the five states of the South-East.

The event was attended by traditional rulers across the five states of the South-East, including Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi states, as well as key stakeholders in the health sector.