Health department on a mission to promote health in schools
The Gauteng Department of Health aims to improve the provision of comprehensive health services in schools. A school in Kagiso benefitted recently.
The MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko handed over seven vehicles to the Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP) at Entuthukweni Primary School in Kagiso.
According to Nkomo-Ralehoko, these vehicles are efforts by the Gauteng Department of Health to improve the provision of comprehensive health services and to support learning by identifying and addressing health barriers that may affect learners in schools.
They are part of 27 ISHP vehicles that will be handed over to the five district health services. At least 20 of these will be handed over in the new financial year.
The MEC also took the time to oversee school health nurses administering the Human Papillomavirus vaccination to Grade Five girls aged nine and above, to protect them against cervical cancer later in life.
The HPV vaccination campaign is currently underway in all public primary schools and special schools in the West Rand until March 20.
Girls should get a single dose of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine before the age of 15 years to provide primary protection against cancer of the cervix (cancer of the mouth of the womb) later in life. It’s said the Cervarix HPV vaccine is very safe and effective in preventing the HPV infection caused by type 16 and 18 HPV strains.
