First Lady Lordina Mahama has been interacting with Lindsay Patricia Northover, Liberal Democrat and Government Spokesperson in the House of Lords on International Development, on the protection of women and girls in their respective countries against cervical cancer.
Mrs Mahama was accompanied to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the House of Lords in London by the Minister of Health, Ms. Sherry Ayittey, and Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), Mr Victor Smith.
Baroness Northover, who received them, stressed the importance of vaccinating young girls and women against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer.
She said women and girls were a priority to the UK, hence the campaign to educate girls and women on the need for the HPV vaccine, and asked if it was the same with Ghana.
Mrs Mahama briefed her on the progress Ghana had made in the Northern and Central regions of the country, vaccinating girls between the ages of 10 and 14.
Through the Lordina Foundation, a lot of women have been screened and educated on cervical and breast cancers and HIV, with emphasis on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.
Baroness Northover, who was thrilled about the progress made in Ghana, said the UK through the DFID, would continue to support Ghana in the areas of health and education.
The First Lady of Mozambique, Dr Maria da Luz Dai Guebuza, and her team later joined the meeting to talk about the progress made in their country.
The meeting preceded a GAVI Alliance HPV event held at the House of Lords on June 4.
