By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The Stakeholders’ Summit on Cervical Cancer Elimination in Nigeria, SSCCEN, has launched a national essay competition as a strategy for addressing misinformation about the human papillomavirus,HPV vaccine.

The essay competition which was conceptualized by the youth engagement committee of SSCCEN is geared towards putting adolescent girls in the driver’s seat in creating awareness about HPV, cervical cancer and dispelling misinformation about HPV vaccines.

The youth engagement committee is chaired by Dr. Peace Shalom, the National Director of the Technical Office on Cancer Awareness and Advocacy,TOCAA.

The TOCAA is one of the committees of the Nigeria Medical Students Association, NiMSA.

Miss Eunice Okomudo, the lead Youth Advocate for End Cervical Cancer Nigeria Initiative,ECCNI serves as the secretary. Other members of the committee are Yasir Ya’u Nuhu, a young cancer advocate, and Adeiza Umoru, a dynamic programmer, ICT specialist, and Youth advocate.

The theme for this year’s competition: “Empowering Families and Youth: HPV Vaccination as a Pathway to Prevent Cervical Cancer and Foster Positive Health Discussions”, was deliberately chosen to use HPV as a vehicle to promote positive health behavior in the family with a focus on cervical cancer prevention.

A statement by Dr. Ishak Lawal, Secretary, Scientific Committee, explained that “HPV vaccine is unique in the sense that it is primarily given to adolescent girls to prevent cervical cancer in womanhood. Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer affecting women in Nigeria causing over 7,000 avoidable deaths annually. “

“Nigeria recently introduced HPV vaccine into her routine immunization program in line with the WHO’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative (CCEI), which prescribed three targets to achieve cervical cancer elimination; 90% of adolescent girls are vaccinated with HPV vaccine, 70% of eligible women are screened for pre-invasive lesions of the cervix and 90% of cervical cancer are appropriately treated.

“Reports from the field showed widespread vaccine hesitancy fueled largely by misinformation and misconceptions. Empowering the community with accurate information is the cornerstone of dispelling myths and misconceptions.

“The essay competition will stimulate the youth to actively seek the right information about HPV thereby empowering them with knowledge to counter misinformation,” the statement read.

The panel of judges was drawn from a wide range of stakeholders involving cancer civil society organizations(CSO), Office of SA to the president on youth initiatives (monitoring and delivery), Ministries of Education, Health, and Youth. Awards will be presented to the winners of the essay competition on 21st November 2024 during the opening ceremony of the 2nd Stakeholders’ Summit on Cervical Cancer Elimination in Nigeria.

“The Stakeholders’ Summit on Cervical Cancer Elimination in Nigeria (SSCCEN) is a sort of public-private partnership to encourage multi-sectoral collaboration in the efforts to put Nigeria on the path to cervical cancer elimination. The first summit was held as a side meeting at the International Cancer Week in 2023.

“The summit has been rebranded to annually commemorate cervical cancer elimination day of action on 17th November every year,” the statement explained.