Local newsNews
Young girls to be vaccinated against HPV
JOHANNESBURG – Between the 6 August and 20 September 2019 the City will be on a major drive to vaccinate young girls against the human papillomavirus (HPV).
The City of Johannesburg said in a statement that the HPV vaccine is offered free to girls aged between nine and 12 years to protect them against different cancers including cervical, mouth, throat, anal and genital.
It also helps to protect against warts.
The City together with the Department of Basic Education and National Department of Health targeedt 520 schools in the city. Before the girls receive the vaccine, they have to get permission from parents through the completion of a consent form. “You can get HPV by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. It is most commonly spread during vaginal or anal sex. HPV can be passed even when an infected person has no signs or symptoms,” said the City.
The City urges parents to give consent so that their children can be protected. This is because most parents believe their children are not sexually active at this age but research has shown that girls are becoming sexually active at a younger age. The purpose is to protect them sooner rather than later.
“There are more than 100 types of HPV but the focus of the drive is on those that cause cervical and genital cancer. About 40 types of HPV are sexually transmitted through genital contact, while mostly two types (16 + 18) are considered to be high risk in South Africa. High-risk types are estimated to cause 70 per cent of cervical cancers, 50 per cent of vaginal and vulva cancers, and 20 per cent of head and neck cancers.”
The City also said it was estimated that about 30 000 learners would be vaccinated by the end of September.
Related article:
https://northeasterntribune.co.za/206216/hpv-vaccinations-continue-across-gauteng/
