SENSITIZE FEMALE FOLK TO TAKE CERVICAL CANCER VACCINE— ASSEMBLY TELLS ANAMBRA GOVT

REPORTER: UCHE NEDEKE

The Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on the executive arm of government to direct the commissioner for health to embark on sensitization of residents to vaccinate their girl child against Cervical Cancer at various primary healthcare centres in the state.

This followed a motion sponsored by the member representing Ayamelum Constituency, Mr. Benard Udemezue calling for the use of various media outlets, community and religious leaders to campaign for cancer vaccination of the girl child.

Cervical Cancer is a type of cancer that develops in a woman’s cervix , and is the fourth most common cancer among women globally.

The Sponsor of the Motion, Mr. Benard Udemezue described cervical cancer as the second highest killer of women in Nigeria and Anambra state in particular.

According to the lawmaker, the rate at which the disease terminates the life of the female gender in the country calls for urgent step to mitigate its uprise.

Mr. Udemezue expressed the hope that the Introduction of the HPV vaccine would go a long way to protect women from the disease.

Supporting the motion, the member representing Orumba South Constituency, Mr. Emmanuel Nwafor, said the wife of the governor was already doing things in line with the call.

Mr. Ejike Okechukwu of Anaocha constituency II, while noting that the motion was life saving, said “once a girl child of ages one to fourteen takes the vaccine the person may never suffer such ailment again in their lifetime.”

Also, Mr. Kingsley Udemezue of Idemili North Constituency, who underscored the importance of information, said there was the need for the government to do more to sensitize the rural communities to reduce the rate of the cervical cancer in the state.

For his part, Mr. Augusting Ike of Nnewi North Constituency, bemoaned the high rate at which young girls in recent times exposed themselves to smoking, identified as one of the contributory factors to Cervical Cancer.

The speaker, Mr. Somtochukwu Udeze, who presided over the pleanry said it was imperative for all stakeholders, including the law makers to key into the campaign to educate the girl child on the importance of taking cervical cancer vaccine.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU