Matters arising: Cervical Cancer Vaccination in Nigeria

When COVID-19 vaccines were rolled out, many people were open to receiving them because the whole world was already itching for a kind of escape route from the pandemic that was threatening to bring the entire world to its knees. Nevertheless, some folks still would rather receive the vaccines over their dead bodies and remain unvaccinated till this minute. Interestingly, some of these people are not just against the COVID-19 vaccines but vaccines in general. We call them antivaxxers, and their opposition to vaccines is based on several 'conspiracy' theories.

First, there is a belief that pharmaceutical companies, the manufacturers of vaccines, prioritize profits over safety, despite vaccines undergoing rigorous testing. Another theory suggests a link between vaccines, particularly the MMR vaccine, and autism, stemming from a discredited study. Some conspiracy theorists allege government cover-ups, population control, or microchipping via vaccines, without credible evidence.

Growing up in the most populous African country, vaccines are something people around me don't joke with. I can still recollect how my mum, of blessed memory, would hike several miles just to meet up with my vaccine schedules. I myself grew up to value vaccines and all my kids got all the necessary, age-grade vaccines and are up to date. I do think vaccines are a kind of favour granted to the populace of developing countries by governments in developed countries because we don't pay for most of them (although I think we pay for them somehow, nothing is actually free).

Recently though, it appears many people are having a new thought about vaccines. Just last week, a representative from a nearby primary health center visited our school with a letter notifying us of their intending visitation to vaccinate young girls between the ages of 6 and 14 years against cervical cancer. As the head of the administration of the school, I did not even think twice before acknowledging the letter with a demeanor of positive response. I never thought of my actions as something that would generate issues.

The following day, a parent of our of our female pupils called to inform me that there is a vaccine going around and that they may bring it to our school. His purpose of calling is to leave an instruction to exempt his daughter from the vaccine.

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that affects the cervix, the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. It is primarily caused by persistent infection with high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus. Cervical cancer typically develops slowly, and it often starts with precancerous changes in the cervix that can be detected through regular Pap tests.

The incidence rate of cervical cancer varies by region and is influenced by factors such as healthcare access, vaccination rates, and screening programs. However, globally, cervical cancer remains a significant health concern. In Nigeria specifically, A 2021 report from the HPV Centre estimates that every year more than 12,000 Nigerian women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and almost 8,000 of them die from the disease.

Armed with this information, why then would any sane person not want their daughters vaccinated against such a deadly disease? Are there genuine reasons or could this be a case of people evolving to become antivaxxers? I was still trying to find answers to these questions when some of our teachers started discussing the ongoing vaccine program and how the vaccine workers may soon visit our school, unknowing to them that I already had their letter, and an implied permission for them to visit.

First, I got to know that none of them have knowledge of cervical cancer and how deadly the disease can be. Secondly, they also have a conspiracy theory that has been passed to them. The theory is that the West is determined to reduce the fecundity of Africans and this recent vaccine is meant to limit the childbearing capacity of an average future mother to just two children.

I tried to laugh off their unfounded claims as well as educate them on what the vaccine is meant to serve but all my efforts fell on deaf ears. They insisted that if indeed this vaccine is meant to protect women against cervical cancer, it will definitely not come for free, like many cancer management drugs. The age group of those to be vaccinated also came up as one of the factors to suspect the entire program. If the most vulnerable age group is 30 to 40, they simply couldn't fathom the reason why 6 to 14 are to get the vaccine.

After a series of exchanges, I had to call it a day with them. And yes, several parents have called for the exclusion of their wards from the vaccine. So much so that I'm already thinking of scrapping the visitation of the vaccine workers or simply asking parents to write a letter signifying their consent. All this happened in the Southern part of this country, we know that our Northern neighbor will do worse.

In short, the ongoing nationwide vaccination campaign against cervical cancer may likely not be a successful one.

What do you think?