Girls under 12 to receive vaccination for cervical cancer

Girls under the age of 12 should brace themselves for another vaccination for protection against cervical cancer in adulthood.

This will be in October and will be a follow-up to the national drive by the Department of Health at the beginning of the year when thousands of girls received the jab to prevent them from contracting the cancer-causing human papilloma virus.

“All eligible school girls in Alexandra were vaccinated and the follow-up one will be a booster,” said Phindiwe Nkosi, a clinic official. Official statistics indicate that annually more than 7 000 women in the country get cervical cancer with more than 4 000 dying from it. It is the second most frequent cancer in women and most frequent in 15 to 44 year olds. The early age vaccination is a prevention measure and other preventative measures include avoiding smoking, having multiple sexual partners and having a regular pap smear.

Meanwhile, the clinic is exploring ways of providing services to children in a more friendly, specialised and quicker way. “This targets mainly school-going children to enable them to return to school or home for their after school work,” said Nkosi.

The friendly services will include help with teenage pregnancies and botched abortions. “These and other health challenges like HIV/Aids require specialised counselling, treatment and advice from social workers who will ensure the services are provided privately and confidentially to the child’s fulfilment.”

The plan will also explore ways of working with local organisations on educational campaigns to improve the awareness of children on dangers of teenage pregnancies, Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases.

“Our girls and boys require platforms which will provide them concrete support to improve their coping mechanisms against temptations to short-term pleasures at the expense of their future,” she said.

Nkosi added that children should feel that they were being cared for by society, which would make them desist from relying on backyard abortions and pregnancy terminations pills acquired from off the streets.

Details: Alex Clinic; 011 440 0383