Anti-cervical cancer vaccinations for pupils
The purpose of this intervention is to prevent cervical cancer.
The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) Health Department, together with the Gauteng Department of Health, will be embarking in a campaign to provide the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccinations to school-going girls.
The campaign, which started in 2014, has been undertaken annually and this year’s theme is Protecting South African Girls against Cancer of the Cervix.
The vaccine will be administered in a schedule of two doses with six month intervals, targeting all young girls in grade four who are nine years and older in all public schools, including special schools.
The first dose (HPV1) will be administered from February 23 to March 20, and the HPV2 dose will take place from September 29 to October 31.
The purpose of this intervention is to prevent cervical cancer.
Almost 80 percent of cervical cancers are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). The virus can infect the genital area and can cause a genital wart or cervical and other cancers. The vaccination prevents the virus from developing on the cervix.
“The Department of Health teams will visit public and special education schools during the campaign to administer free HPV vaccinations to girls in grade four, who are nine years and older,” said Clr Nonceba Molwele, the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development in the CoJ.
“Parents need to ensure they have signed and returned the consent forms which they will receive from the school their child attends. No girl will be vaccinated without parental consent,” said Clr Molwele.
