The “Big Deal Concert” saw tremendous support from the public, as persons turned out in their numbers in support of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine awareness event, which was hosted by the Public Health Ministry on Saturday at the Stabroek Market Square, Georgetown.
The event is part of the Ministry’s campaign relaunching the HPV vaccine in Guyana, to control and prevent cervical cancer in Guyanese girls and women in sync with the “Pinktober” spirit of raising cancer awareness.
Statistics show that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women
Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence as she addresses the gathering at the concert
living in less developed and developing countries, and it is caused by sexually acquiring certain types of HPV.
At the event, patrons heard from cervical cancer survivors, who shared their experiences and testified how they had a second chance at life.
The likes of Tennicia DeFreitas and Kwasi Ace, among other local artistes, were present to provide entertainment to the large crowd.
Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence was present and addressed the gathering, speaking on the Ministry’s commitment to prevent, reduce, and control cervical cancer.
“Life is a big deal for us, that is why the Ministry has been working to ensure persons understand the importance of the vaccine,” Minister Lawrence said, as she explained that clinical trials have shown that the HPV vaccine is both safe and effective in reducing the risk of cervical cancer.
The campaign, which commenced in September, has a goal of distributing 40,000 doses of the vaccine to young girls, and thus far, officials within the Ministry have been meeting with and engaging parents and Parent-Teachers Associations (PTAs) as well as private medical facilities to distribute free samples of the vaccine.
The journey does not stop there, as several outreaches are to cover remote areas across the country. The Ministry is expected to take its campaign to Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) during the course of the upcoming week.
Addressing concerns about vaccine safety and perceived lack of necessity, Minister Lawrence confessed that prior to her governmental appointment, she too was among the misinformed about the vaccine.
Lawrence stressed on the importance of the outreaches which would educate persons enabling them to have a correct understanding of what the HPV vaccine is and why young girls need to be inoculated.
Statistics illustrate that between 2003 and 2012, Guyana recorded 6518 new cases of cancers for an overall cumulative incidence rate of 867.7 per 100,000 population – 3956, 60 per cent, of cases involved females and 2561, 39 per cent, males, giving a female-to-male ratio of 1.54:1.
HPV is a group of more than 200 associated viruses.
HPV is transmitted through intimate skin-to-skin contact. It can be contracted by engaging in sexual contact with someone who has the virus. In addition, HPV is so common that nearly all men and women get it at some point in their lives and can be passed even when an infected person has no signs or symptoms. Symptoms sometimes develop years after the actual infection, making it hard to know when one first became infected.
In most cases, HPV goes away on its own and does not cause any health problems. But when HPV does not go away, it can cause health problems like genital warts and cancer.
The three vaccines to prevent HPV infection are Gardasil, Gardasil 9, and Cervarix. Regular screenings can help diagnose HPV and related health problems, as cancers caused by the HPV usually do not present symptoms until the late stages.
