Medical experts say the Human Papiloma Virus, HPV is fast becoming a threat to women of all ages.
They say early screening and vaccination in rural communities will help bring the numbers down.
According to the HPV information centre, Cervical cancer ranks as the 2nd most frequent cancer among women in Nigeria and the 2nd most frequent cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age, this affects at least 12,000 women every year.
This is the grand finale of the “4 Girls and Women Innovation Bootcamp” organised to promote vaccination and screening for cervical cancer across the country. The bootcamp is in collaboration with the Nigeria Institute for medical research (NIMR), Saint Louis University and University of North Carolina both in the U.S.
Lead fellow of the project and director of research in NIMR, said the programme was organised to engage girls and women on the best ways to upscale vaccination and screening for cervical cancer.
Experts are saying government and other stakeholders must put a framework that will encourage early diagnosis and access affordable treatment.
At the end of the bootcamp, seven teams are all winners already because they will go back to the various communities and engage to select 50 girls and 50 women that will receive free HPV vaccine and screening. Team Project Shade emerged overall winner of the 4G&W Innovation Bootcamp 2023 and with a cash prize of one million naira.
