By Aderogba George
Dr Salma Anas, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Health, has pledged her support to the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS) in its efforts to raise awareness and combat cancer in Nigeria.
Anas made the commitment at the 2026 International HPV Awareness Day (IHAD) on Wednesday in Abuja.
The event, organised by the IPVS Nigeria Chapter, had the theme, “Transdisciplinary Papillomavirus Research in Nigeria: Setting up an Agenda”.
Represented at the event by Dr Ahmed Baba, Anas said the occasion was one close to her heart.
“Health is strategic. It is now a human development sector. So we can’t be talking about health away from national development. And so because of that, the commemoration of this day becomes very important,” she said.
She also highlighted the global theme of the event, “One Less Worry,” emphasising its collaborative approach.
“It is everybody’s problem. It is no more about interdisciplinary or myself, it has to be transdisciplinary. And so from the office, we’re supporting this and we’re going to be partners with this,” Anas declared.
Also speaking at the event, Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, President-Elect of the Union for International Cancer Control, stressed the public health burden of HPV.
“HPV causes different types of cancers. It is an infectious disease that can affect both male and female individuals and can lead to cervical, penile, or anal cancer,” she said.
Shinkafi-Bagudu, who is also the Founder of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, underscored the importance of vaccination as a preventive measure.
“There is a vaccine against this virus, and by using it at the right time, it is possible to prevent the infection from developing further,” she said.
Shinkafi-Bagudu noted that although Nigeria recently introduced the HPV vaccine, reaching 16 million girls, more work remains to cover the country’s population of over 60 million girls.
“We have to look at other ways to educate the community. Religious leaders are among the main groups working with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, which is primarily responsible for rolling out vaccines,” she said.
Highlighting challenges beyond funding, she noted the need for education and training: “We still have a lot of misinformation, even from health workers.
“There’s a need for more training, awareness programmes, sensitisation, and capacity building to ensure the message reaches grassroots communities and those who doubt the vaccine’s effectiveness”.
She also referenced successful cervical cancer elimination in other countries through timely vaccination, adding that while funding is important, awareness is paramount.
“Education is a more critical factor. We need to recognise that, despite putting money into our health system, it remains weak and fragmented because even the people in charge are not adequately trained or do not understand the systems,” Shinkafi-Bagudu explained.
Recalling her experience as First Lady of Kebbi, she said, “Sometimes things as little as a ball can kick off a machine in the lab.
“That is not about money. It’s just a little ball or a UPS failure that will make the whole machine stop. So we must step up as Nigerians. Funding is being provided, but can we do more? Yes”. (NAN)
