—- As EKSPHCDA Takes Over Ownership Of HPV Vaccination Programme
The Chairman, Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr (Mrs) Funke Ogunbunmi has said the GIRL EFFECT team is leaving behind a stronger system in the State and not just a report.
She said this at the opening ceremony of one- day state learning and sustainability meeting on HPV Vaccination Programme organised by the Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agençy (ESPHCDA), and the GIRL EFFECT.
The programme which was held recently at Delight hotel in Ado Ekiti, the State capital was to ensure sustainability and best practices for HPV vaccination in the State as the GIRL EFFECT Group is set to hand over the project to the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EKSPHCDA) for sustainability.
Dr Ogunbunmi said the close- out of Girl Effect project in Ekiti State, the state learning and sustainability meeting with EKSPHCDA marked a significant milestone.
While appreciating the GIRL EFFECT team on behalf of the State Government for there commitment to strengthen adolescent- responsive health service in the state, she also commended the State Governor, His Excellency, Mr Biodun Oyebanji for providing the enabling environment for the partnership to thrive.
The chairman noted that over the course of the project in the State, the effects and real impact have been felt by all and immeasurably wholesome. She further highlighted that more adolescents accessing youth- friendly services, improved health- seeking behaviour in the communities and stronger skills among the frontline health workers are parts of the benefits gained from the project.
She noted that more importantly, GIRL EFFECT team worked with Ekiti systems, not outside them which gives them the confidence to sustain the gains. Ogunbunmi said the meeting is all about learning from what worked and putting a clear plan in place to own and scale these results.
She affirmed that Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EKSPHCDA) is fully committed to integrating these tools into there routine PHC programmes, continuing staff capacity building and ensuring no adolescent is left behind.
The State SPHCDA chairman inferred that the responsibility to carry on the good work now rested with the agency and the LGA’s. She therefore advised that they should honour the handover by keeping the momentum alive and making Ekiti State a model for adolescent health and primary healthcare delivery, noting further that, this should not be an end but a transition to State- led ownership.
In his remark, the Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr Aliu Ogunsakin commended the GIRL EFFECT team for the beautiful job done in Ekiti State through the HPV vaccination programme which according to him, has impacted positively in the lives of young girls in the State.
While stating the numerous ways the State and the adolescents have benefited, he noted that the State Government and the Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency are fully prepared and ready to take ownership and sustain the programme.
In her opening address, the leader of GIRL EFFECT team, Kosi Izuwdu said the programme became necessary in order to review progress, share key insights, and strengthen long-term strategies for sustained impact as they are about to handover the HPV vaccination programme to the State for further sustainability.
Kosi stated that the Ekiti State is one of the five states adopted for the project study while other states include, Delta, Oyo, Ondo and Kaduna. She reiterated that part of the meeting objectives are to share key project learning and preliminary end line findings, validate the sustainability plan and secure stakeholders alignment and ownership for sustaining HPV vaccination and adolescent health outcomes beyond the project lifecycle.
Also, to address barriers and build awareness and acceptance of vaccination with parents and adolescent girls while improving knowledge to access and utilise nutrition products and services among others.
The team leader also inferred that in March 2025, over 300 champions were trained and mobilized to use the champions App in disseminating key HPV and nutrition information across the implementation states.
She said the tailored contents for young girls and their parents included, sessions on “protecting our future,” “proactive care,” “overcoming concerns,” “advocating for the HPV vaccine and nutrition 101.” She maintained that overtime, GIRL EFFECT had been able to record great achievements across there implementation states.
While delivering her speech on the sustainability plans of EKSPHCDA, the State Health Educator, Mrs Abimbola Daramola said the agency is full prepared to take ownership of the programme and have mapped out strategies to ensure stability and sustainability.
She pointed that the sustainability plan for the State include; Government ownership and policy integration by institutionalising HPV into the agency’s routine immunisation, sustainable financing and resource mobilisation by leveraging existing financing mechanism, health system integration by embedding HPV into PHC and through community engagement and demand generation.
Other plans include; SBCC materials, digital assets and communication systems, health- education sector coordination, data system monitoring and accountability and supervision, performance review and accountability.
Among those present at the meeting were representatives of the ministry of education, SUBEB, private school owners, the parent teacher’s association chairman, representatives from higher institution’s in the state, iyaloja, head of traditional chiefs in Ekiti State, NOA representative and both Muslim and Christian representatives among others.
