Public Health Ministry rolls out HPV vaccines in Region 2 schools
Scores of secondary and primary school children in Region Two (Pomeroon- Supenaam) benefited from the Human Papillomavirus vaccine (HPV), courtesy of the Public Health Ministry.
The vaccination team at the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School
According to the coordinator for the vaccination process, Anasha Venture, hundreds of children were beneficiaries from several schools, including Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School, Johanna Cecila Secondary, Abram Zuil Secondary and Fisher Primary.
The vaccines were administered to children between the ages of nine to 16 years old and safeguards against cervical cancer, among other complications of HPV. The vaccination process, which commenced in 2013, is currently ongoing.
The focus, according to Venture, is to vaccinate every girl in secondary and primary school. While the coordinator stressed that children were not compelled to participate, she said that the team met with the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) of each schools, and encouraged parents to give approval for their children to receive the vaccines.
The team comprised of a medex, nurses and a doctor, and was assisted by teachers during the vaccination process. The children are expected to receive three doses of vaccines over a six months period. The vaccines will save persons from spending extra at private hospitals.
Transmission of HPV can cause abnormal cell changes in the cervix and other genital areas which can lead to cancer.
