The campaign is an initiative of the Gauteng Health Department, and according to City of Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development councillor Nonceba Molwele, the campaign has been running for two years.
This year’s theme is Protecting South African Girls against Cancer of the Cervix. Molwele said the vaccine will be administered in two doses at six-month intervals. It targets all young girls in Grade 4 who are nine years and older in all public schools, including special needs schools.
She said, “The first dose (HPV1) will be administered from 23 February to 20 March this year, and the (HPV2) will take place from 29 September to 31 October . The purpose of this intervention is to prevent cervical cancer.”
Molwele said the department of health teams will visit public and special education schools during the campaign to administer the free vaccinations.
She said that almost 80 percent of cervical cancers are caused by the human papilloma virus which infects the genital area and causes a genital wart, or cervical and other cancers. The vaccination prevents the virus from developing on the cervix.
Molwele added that parents needed to ensure that they had signed and returned the consent forms which they will receive from the school their child attends, and that no girl will be vaccinated without parental consent.
Share your views on this campaign in the comments section below.
