Free cervical cancer vaccine to help prevent the disease

dubai — As many as 500 youngsters will receive free cervical cancer vaccine opportunities as part of a Year of Zayed initiative from Zulekha Healthcare Group.

The preventative vaccines are available for girls and women aged between nine and 26 years and includes residents and visitors to the UAE, as part of the group’s fifth edition of its cervical cancer campaign. The campaign which was launched in 2014 was attended by 282 in 2014, had grown by 249 per cent to 984 attendees during 2017.

A report by HPV Information Centre outlined that currently, 1.82 million women in the UAE are at risk of developing cervical cancer, and that every year, 93 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 28 die from the disease (30 per cent). Cervical cancer is a largely preventable disease, but it is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women worldwide with 266,000 fatalities each year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The ‘Chance to Change’ campaign focuses on raising healthcare standards and improving the quality of life of UAE residents.

Zanubia Shams, Zulekha Hospital co-chairperson, said: “A simple but vital change can be made through greater awareness and education of the availability of lifesaving screenings for women and vaccinations for girls and boys.”

The hospital offers free human papillomavirus (HPV) test and consultations with gynaecologists alongside the 500 free vaccination opportunities.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com

A vital change can be made through greater awareness of the availability of lifesaving screenings and vaccinations.” Zanubia Shams, co-chairperson, Zulekha Hospital