Stakeholders under the Girl Effect Nigeria initiative have announced that their OYA campaign has reached more than 18 million Nigerians and supported the vaccination of over 26,000 girls against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in five states. The campaign, which focuses on raising awareness and increasing vaccine uptake, targets girls aged 9–14, as recommended by the World Health Organization.
The organization's country director stated that the campaign has been instrumental in combating misinformation about the HPV vaccine, which is crucial for preventing cervical cancer. Nigeria has one of the highest burdens of cervical cancer globally, with over 12,000 new cases annually, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The OYA campaign, whose name means 'let's go' in Yoruba, uses community engagement and digital media to educate families. It operates in partnership with state governments and health agencies, including the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.
