…Launches Campaign Against Cervical Cancer and Malnutrition

By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

Kaduna — The Kaduna State Government has officially launched the Girl Effect Oya Campaign, a comprehensive initiative aimed at tackling cervical cancer and adolescent malnutrition across the state.

Speaking at the launch held at the Gusau Institute in Kaduna, officials announced that over 754,304 girls, aged between 9 and 14 years, have already received the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine under the state’s ongoing immunization drive.

The event drew key stakeholders, including development partners, health professionals, and civil society groups. It was led by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, who was represented by the Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hajia Rabi Salisu.

“This campaign is more than a health intervention,” she said. “The Girl Effect Oya Campaign is a call to action, a call to move, and a call to protect. And we must answer it with urgency, empathy, and unity.”

The campaign, implemented in partnership with the UK-based NGO Girl Effect, complements Kaduna’s wider adolescent health programs and the large-scale rollout of the HPV vaccine which began in 2024.

Dr. Balarabe emphasized that the programme aligns with Governor Uba Sani’s vision of prioritizing adolescent health as a cornerstone of his administration’s broader social development agenda.

“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.

She called on community leaders, parents, teachers, and religious institutions to play a central role in dispelling myths and misconceptions around vaccination and nutrition. “This is a community-wide call to action. We must ignite conversations in homes, classrooms, markets, and mosques,” she said.

The Deputy Governor also lauded frontline health workers for their dedication, noting that Kaduna has emerged as a model for northern Nigeria in integrating adolescent health, routine immunization, and social development programs.

The Girl Effect Oya Campaign is set to expand its reach in the coming months, with intensified efforts to improve vaccine access, enhance adolescent nutrition, and promote a culture of early prevention among young girls across the state.