How the Oya campaign reaches millions of people and increases the diffusion of the HPV vaccine among Nigerian girls – Official

Girl Effect Nigeria Country Director, Boladale Akin-Kolapo, said strategic investments in advocacy, communication and community engagement have played a significant role in increasing awareness and uptake of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among adolescent girls in five Nigerian states.

Speaking at the closing and dissemination meeting of the Girl Effect OYA Campaign Learning and Sustainability Project on Wednesday in Abuja, Akin-Kolapo said the initiative, supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, was designed to accelerate access to health services for adolescent girls and young women, while addressing harmful gender norms.

According to her, the project focused on increasing demand and acceptance of the HPV vaccine, as well as improving awareness and utilization of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and nutrition services among adolescent girls and young women in Kaduna, Delta, Ekiti, Ondo and Oyo states.

She noted that through innovative social and behavioral change interventions, Girl Effect has partnered with government agencies at the national and state levels to support the generation and adoption of HPV vaccine demand.

“Through initiatives such as the Champion Approach in schools and communities, activating OYA campaigns with First Ladies, raising awareness and awareness about vaccination, and support during immunization campaigns and commemorative health events, we have contributed to Nigeria’s success in vaccinating more than 16 million girls against HPV,” she said.

Akin-Kolapo described the closing event as an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on the project’s achievements, share lessons learned, and develop strategies to sustain progress made in promoting and raising awareness of HPV vaccination.

He highlighted that Nigeria’s introduction of the HPV vaccine into the national immunization program in 2023 was a landmark achievement, but stressed that public trust and community engagement are key to translating vaccine availability into effective uptake.

“Vaccines do not save lives in cold chain facilities. Vaccines save lives when people trust them, when parents understand them, when communities embrace them and when girls are empowered to access them,” she said.

The Country Director of Girl Effect explained that the OYA campaign was conceived as a national call to action aimed at mobilizing parents, schools, communities, health workers and government institutions to protect girls from cervical cancer through vaccination.

Highlighting the impact of the project, Akin-Kolapo revealed that more than 4.1 million people were reached through digital platforms, while around 18 million people were reached through radio programming.

He added that over 7,800 school and community engagement sessions have been conducted, while hundreds of teachers and health workers have been trained and equipped to serve as trusted vaccine advocates.

According to her, more than 32,000 parents and guardians and 18,000 adolescent girls have received accurate information about HPV vaccination and adolescent health, while more than 26,000 girls have received the HPV vaccine.

Speaking, a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Chisom Emeka, appreciated Girl Effect Nigeria, Gavi and all implementing partners for convening the closure and dissemination meeting.

WHO celebrated the achievements of the “Oya” Campaign, but also reflected on the valuable lessons generated through this innovative initiative.

Leveraging youth-focused communication and digital platforms, we will see whether the project has demonstrated that informed, engaged and empowered adolescents are key to improving health outcomes and strengthening demand for life-saving interventions.

The introduction and scale-up of the HPV vaccine in Nigeria marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to prevent cervical cancer and protect the health and future of our girls.

However, supporting high vaccine uptake requires more than just vaccine availability: it requires trust, accurate information, community engagement and strong partnerships. We hope that the Oya Campaign has made an important contribution to achieving these goals.

The National Liaison Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in Nigeria, Dr. Maureen Ugochukwu, commended the results of the OYA campaign, describing it as a critical intervention in Nigeria’s efforts to prevent cervical cancer and improve the health of adolescent girls.

She said the initiative demonstrated the power of strategic communication, partnerships and community engagement in promoting HPV vaccine acceptance and adoption.

According to her, cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death among women aged 15 to 44 in Nigeria, claiming more than 8,000 lives every year despite being largely preventable through vaccination.

She noted that the OYA campaign successfully addressed these challenges by leveraging Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) and Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization (ACSM) strategies to build trust and raise awareness among girls, parents and communities.