The chairs in the community hall filled quickly. Mothers, teachers, traditional leaders and a few curious students gathered, waiting for the meeting to begin. The topic wasn’t new: the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, but the energy in the room was different: open, curious and deeply communal.
Across Nigeria, town hall conversations like this are breathing new life into Nigeria’s national effort to protect girls against cervical cancer, one honest discussion at a time.
A Community Response to a Silent Killer
Cervical cancer remains one of Nigeria’s deadliest diseases for women, claiming nearly 8,000 lives each year, even though a simple vaccine can prevent up to 90% of cases. Persistent myths, misinformation and fear continue to stand between many adolescent girls and life-saving protection.
To bridge this gap, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), with support from VillageReach and Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), has brought the conversation directly to the people.
Turning Dialogue into Trust
Over August and September 2025, town hall meetings across Enugu, Kano, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) turned community halls into classrooms. Here, participants shared what they’ve heard and what worries them about the HPV vaccine.
Health workers and the VillageReach-ARFH consortium use relatable language to unpack the science; teachers explain how school-based vaccination works; and religious leaders link health to faith and shared responsibility. Meanwhile, community members ask the tough questions:
“Can this vaccine make our girls infertile?”
“Why focus only on girls and not boys?”
Each question becomes an invitation to learn and build trust.
By the end of each session, participants often arrive at the same realization: protecting girls from cervical cancer means protecting families, futures and entire communities.
Participants at the Townhall Sensitization Drive for HPV Vaccine in Lagos State, Nigeria
Bringing Vaccination Closer
During several community sessions, caregivers who consented were linked immediately to on-site vaccination teams, turning conversation into action. A total of 98 eligible girls were vaccinated across the implementation states. “Don’t be scared of the needle,” a community leader in Lagos told a hesitant girl. “It’s your protection for the future.”
These on-the-spot vaccinations help close the common gap between interest and uptake, proving that when communities are informed, engaged and supported, demand follows naturally.
“Every conversation here moves us one step closer to stronger, more connected health systems.”
Building Local Champions
Each town hall serves a deeper purpose: strengthening relationships with those who shape public opinion. Traditional chiefs, teachers, women’s group leaders, and youth organizers leave as advocates — carrying the message into classrooms, markets and places of worship.
“We will announce this in our places of worship,” said a religious leader in Enugu. “No one should say they never heard of the HPV vaccine.”
This model of engagement is more than a communications activity; it is a community-driven engine for social change.
Participants at the Townhall Sensitization Drive for HPV Vaccine in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Partners in Progress
These town halls are part of broader government efforts to improve HPV vaccine uptake nationwide. VillageReach and ARFH are supporting states to improve vaccine delivery, community mobilization and data reporting to ensure that accurate information and vaccines reach even the hardest-to-access areas.
By grounding the work in dialogue rather than directives, the initiative is shifting HPV vaccination from being viewed as a government program to a shared community responsibility.
The Power of Listening
For health teams, these conversations reaffirm a simple truth: the fight against cervical cancer begins not with a syringe, but with listening.
When communities have the space to ask, challenge, and understand, they take ownership of their health decisions and that ownership is what turns awareness into action, ultimately protecting them.