Health Leads Initiative wants to increase the awareness of cervical cancer among women of reproductive age group in Bayelsa state, Nigeia by carrying out health enlightenment campaign, screening and vaccination against human papilloma virus implicated in its cause. This project will help reduce the cervical cancer burden of the country and expose these women to lifestyle modifications geared towards prevention of cervical cancer.
An estimated 116,000 Nigerians had cervical cancer with over 70,000 deaths in 2018 according to World Health Organization. Meanwhile cervical is a vaccine preventable disease but the human papilloma virus(HPV) vaccine which is meant to protect women from cervical cancer is not included in the national vaccination program thus making the HPV vaccine not readily affordable and accessible.
This project will help educate women on the lifestyle modifications that will help reduce the chances of acquiring cervical cancer. This project will also give 500 and 100 women an opportunity for free screening and vaccination respectively. The awareness and data generated from this event will be used as a reminder for the importance of including the HPV vaccine in the national immunization program.
An inclusion of the HPV vaccine in the national vaccination program and an eventual reduction in the cervical cancer burden in Nigeria.
