Health Ministry to take HPV campaign to private schools

The Public Health Ministry is set to take its human papillomavirus (HPV) campaign to privately-owned primary and secondary schools during the course of the week. This is according to Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Officer, Dr Ertenisa Hamilton.

Maternal and Child Health Officer, Dr Ertenisa Hamilton

Dr Hamilton on Friday disclosed that, thus far, 24 private schools in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) were contacted by the MCH Unit to explain its ongoing national drive to vaccinate nine to thirteen-year- old females against the virus.
The Ministry was also able to successfully relaunch its renewed HPV drive in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) through collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO); Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) and the Private Sector.
Though the vaccine was received voluntarily by over 22,000 females in 2014 and 2016, lack of public education and counter-attacks from both local and international interest groups served to slow the drive.
However, there are reportedly no known adverse effects stemming from the administration of the injection, contrary to public belief.
HPV is a group of more than 150 related viruses, some of which can lead to cancer. In women, HPV infection can cause cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers, but the administration of the vaccine can help to prevent the infections that lead to these cancers.
Globally, there are some 530,000 new cases of cervical cancer detected annually which kill approximately 266,000 women or 50.2 per cent of those infected.
Cervical cancer is the second highest killer of women in Guyana accounting for 100 deaths per year, the highest in the Caribbean with an incidence rate of 46.9 per cent and a mortality rate of 21.0 per 100,000 persons.
“Vaccination is the number one public health success story in Guyana,” said the doctor, noting that theoretical scepticism vanishes when children and the younger generation become educated.
In the space of the upcoming six months, several projects will be launched in the health sector, including the introduction of the birth dose of Hepatitis B vaccine and the design and piloting of the electronic vaccine records.