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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has approved the use of HPV vaccine as single dose in the routine immunization against cervical cancer, beginning from the last quarter of 2023 with the national launch on 24th October. During a joint meeting alongside the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the agencies agreed that the deployment of HPV vaccine can provide solid protection against cervical cancer caused by the human papillomavirus. The HPV vaccine which is giving in two or three doses is recommended for girls and boys within 11 and 12 years but can be administered as early as 9 years or as late as 26 years.

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) is in partnership with the Global Fund to launch a comprehensive three-month sensitisation programme, with a dedicated focus on tackling the prevailing gender and human rights challenges that significantly affect individuals living with or affected by HIV. The Director of NACA, Gambo Aliyu, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the collaborative effort aims to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all individuals affected by HIV, marking a significant step forward in the battle against the virus.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, has today revealed that it has recorded about 1,068 cases of Lassa fever infection across 112 local government areas in 28 states across the nation. NCDC disclosed this through its official website today in its Lassa fever situation report for week 37 in its sequence of reporting which is effective (Sept. 11 – 17, 2023).

The Federal Government has recorded 453 deaths and 11,587 suspected cases of diphtheria in the country with 7,202 confirmed cases from 105 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 18 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This comes as the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate reportedly established a national emergency task team. A breakdown of the figure showed that Kano State accounted for 6,185, Yobe (640), Katsina (213), Borno (95), Kaduna (16), Jigawa (14), Bauchi (8), Lagos (8), FCT (5), Gombe (5), Osun (3), Sokoto (3), Niger (2), Cross River (1), Enugu (1), Imo (1), Nasarawa (1) and Zamfara (1).

Ogun state government has raised alarm over the outbreak of cholera in Ijebu North Local Government Area of the state. It was reported that four persons have lost their lives to the disease in the LGA. In a statement on Sunday signed by Tomi Coker, Special adviser to the governor on health, the state government asked residents to report any familiar cases of frequent stooling and vomiting. The government also requested residents to be wary of the types of foods and drinks they consumed.

The Federal Government (FG) through the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, has set-up an emergency taskforce to curb the spread of diphtheria in the country according to a press statement issued on Thursday by Pate’s Special Assistant on Media and External Relations, Tashikalmah Hallah.