Gauteng fights back against cervical cancer with an HPV vaccination drive
The Gauteng Department of Health is going the extra mile to protect the health of girls with a comprehensive vaccination programme, ensuring that all girls have access to the HPV vaccine and other essential health interventions.
Cervical cancer remains a significant threat to women’s health in South Africa, ranking as the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths after breast cancer, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Particularly alarming is its prevalence among adolescents and women aged 15 to 44, with over 70% of cases attributed to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection. An extensive effort to vaccinate girls against HPV has been started by the Gauteng Department of Health in an attempt to address this urgent matter and maintain the long-term health of girls.
This programme is being conducted in all Gauteng public primary and special schools; it started on February 5 and ends on March 20. The initiative is to give one dose of the Cervarix HPV vaccine to Grade 5 girls aged 9 years and older.
Given that type 16 and type 18 strains of HPV account for the majority of incidents of cervical cancer, this vaccine has proven to be extremely safe and efficient in preventing HPV infection.
A remarkable 84.6% of Grade 5 girls received the full dose of the HPV second dose vaccination during the latest immunisation campaign, which took place between September and October 2023.
Catch-up single doses will be given to people who were unable to receive vaccinations throughout the campaign because of age or absence.
MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, encourages parents, caregivers, and legal guardians to sign the consent form for their children to participate in the HPV single-dose vaccine programme.
“We wish to appeal to those who have not signed the consent to think about the long-term implications of not having their children immunised. By giving consent, you are taking a responsible step to ensure that we save the future of our girls, a single dose at a time,” MEC said.
Matshidiso Luta, a 39-year-old mother of a 9-year-old girl from Vereeniging who survived cervical cancer, expressed her satisfaction with getting the consent form and granting the school Health Department permission to vaccinate her daughter against HPV.
“I am grateful and relieved that my daughter will receive the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. I don’t want her to go through what I went through during my battle with the disease,” Luta said.
The campaign is an important part of the all-inclusive Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP), which offers a range of health services and screenings all through the academic year. With this comprehensive strategy, girls are guaranteed not only the HPV vaccine but also other vital health interventions, such as deworming, nutritional assessments, oral health, hearing, and eye health evaluations.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the HPV vaccination programme of the Gauteng Department of Health is an important step in the direction of reducing the rate of cervical cancer and improving the health and well-being of South African girls.
The campaign seeks to save lives and protect the next generation of women from this disease by guaranteeing universal access to the HPV vaccine and removing obstacles to vaccinations.
The Star
Nobukhosi Tshabalala
nobukhosi.tshabalala@inl.co.za