ANTI-CERVICAL

CANCER CAMPAIGN

THE CITY of Joburg’s Health Department has restarted the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine campaign to protect primary schoolgirls from getting cervical cancer.

The first round of vaccination takes place until April 30 and the second round from September to October.

The HPV vaccine campaign, which is a partnership between the city, national Department of Health and Basic Education, targets girls who are 9 years old in public and special schools.

Cervical cancer is the second-most common cancer in women in developing countries. In South Africa, it is estimated that about 5 743 women will develop cervical cancer and 3 027 will die from it.

Cervical cancer is caused by HPV, which is a sexually-transmitted infection and is detected through pap smear testing and routine pelvic exams.

The HPV vaccine campaign started in 2014 and targets 518 schools in the

City of Joburg. About 23 000 to 30 000 primary schoolgirls receive it. The vaccine is shown to be more effective in young girls and should be administered before exposure to HPV infection.

“Although our efforts are currently focused on Covid-19, we are pleased that we are still able as a city to provide much-needed vaccination programmes like the HPV vaccine,” said member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for health and social development, Eunice Mgcina.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize continue to emphasise that vaccination remains the best defence against serious illness and death. Vaccines have reduced the morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases.”

Mgcina added that it was essential that parents were educated about the importance of vaccinating the girls against HPV to give them a fighting chance against the opportunistic infections.