City urges parents to cooperate in the vaccine drive against cancer

Due the high number of teenage pregnancy, which increases the risk of cervical cancer infection, City of Johannesburg has urged parents to cooperate as it targets 30 000 schoolgirls for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV1) vaccine.

City health workers began visiting schools in all seven regions of the city on 5 February to administer the vaccine to 9-year-old girls. The drive is expected to reach 520 schools, targeting 30 000 girls until 5 March. The aim of the campaign is to reduce the incidence of cervix cancer through the introduction of the vaccine before the girls are exposed to the HPV infection.

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary underlying cause of cervical cancer, which is transmitted through skin to skin contact and is a common virus infecting most people at some point in their lives.

MMC for Health and Social Development, Mpho Phalatse said the cases of teenage pregnancy in the city were a clear indication that girls were starting to have sex at a younger age and were not using protection. She said the City, through its health department, was committed to driving the campaign and other prevention programmes to ensure that girls are protected from cervical cancer. “Given the fact that cervical cancer is caused by the Human Papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted virus, and that the period just after a woman’s sexual debut is known to be the peak time for infection, it is extremely important that we immunize our girls against HPV before they even start having sex,” said Phalatse.

The vaccine is administered in two doses. The administering of the first dose (HPV1) this year began on 05 February and will continue until 15 March. The second dose (HPV2) will resume on 6 August and until 20 September 2019. To be vaccinated, learners need to produce consent forms signed by parents or guardians.

“We urge parents of Grade 4 girl children aged 9 and above to cooperate with us and give the necessary consent for their girls to receive this life-saving intervention. It would be a serious indictment on us as government and parents if even a single one of these young ones is one day diagnosed with this now perfectly preventable condition,” she said.

The annual campaign in the City started in 2014 and was done in partnership with the National Department of Health and the Basic Education Department.

Phalatse added that health workers will also use the opportunity to identify learners that were not vaccinated last year due to various reasons including the shortage of vaccines. She also said learners who did not receive their second dose last year, will receive it this year.

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