By Precious Oluwole

Oyo State ministry of information and orientation in collaboration United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday, held a one-day advocacy dialogue meeting with Nigeria Association of Women journalists in Southwest (NAWOJ B ZONE) on Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination.

The advocacy meeting held at Rolak hotel and suites, Imowo, Ijebu ode, Ogun State, had in attendance women journalists from the six states in South West.

In his welcome address, the programme officer, Oyo State ministry of information, Mr Rotimi Babalola stated that women and children are very important and issues related to them should be given more consideration.

He added that UNICEF partnered NAWOJ on HPV vaccine because they play a vital role when it comes to women and children related issues, urging the women journalists to put all they have in the meeting to make it result oriented.

In her good will message, the Vice President, NAWOJ B zone, Comrade Adeola Adekunle appreciated UNICEF for the training and also, pledged that the women journalists will do all in their capacity to promote the HPV vaccine.

Also, speaking, the planning, monitoring and evaluation officer, UNICEF, Mr Sola Olanipekun, encouraged the women journalists to sensitize women and girls about the HPV vaccine.

According to the UINICEF consultant, Oyo State, Mr Samuel Olatunji, the objectives of the meeting is to build a partnership with NAWOJ in order to inculcate HPV vaccine into the routine
immunization services as part of the child survival strategies, to establish the important role of NAWOJ in debunking
rumors and misconceptions reducing trust and uptake of HPV.

“This meeting is also, to leverage on the strength of NAWOJ to advocate for child survival policies with policy makers, to get the commitment of media in continuously creating a buzz on the importance cf HPV vaccines to the survival, productivity and development of the female gender”.

UNICEF consultant in Oyo State, Mr Samuel Olatunji who took the participants on the nitty gritty of the HPV vaccine stated that the vaccination will be focused on age 9-14 years.

According to him, the name of the vaccine is Gargasil-4 and schools will be fully focused due to the age range. “Both primary and secondary schools will be captured, as well as out-of- school children in the community. In 2025, HPV vaccine will be introduced as normal routine and it will always be readily available”.

He, however, urged women to have a regular check up on HPV and also, allow their children to take the vaccine as it is free and safe.

The social and behavioral change specialist for UNICEF, Mrs Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole who spoke about the roles of female journalists in improving HPV vaccine trust and uptake noted that media are expected to provide correct, consistent, and continuous information on the scourge of cervical cancers and the effectiveness of HPV vaccines, Influence policymakers through advocacy reporting and human-centered storytelling to improve demand for HPV vaccines.

She added that the female journalists should also educate the public by leveraging regular channels of interaction with caregivers and adolescent girls, provide platforms for technical experts to contribute to conversations around promoted behaviors and debunk myths, misconceptions and misinformation about HPV vaccine.

The participants, at the end of training, expressed their satisfaction and readiness to enlighten the people on the benefits of taking HPV vaccine.