What’s your take on the new girl child vaccine?

To protect girls against cervical cancer, the City of Johannesburg and the Health Department aim to reach 30 000 schoolgirls with a vaccination campaign.

According to the MMC for Health and Social Development, councillor Mpho Phalatse, trained and equipped City healthworkers are hard at work visiting 520 schools in all the seven regions to administer the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV1) vaccine to girl learners aged nine years. The campaign aims to reduce the incidence of cancer of the cervix through the introduction of the vaccine before the learners are exposed to HPV infection. The vaccine is administered in two doses. Administration of the first dose (HPV1) started on 5 February and will continue until 15 March. The second dose (HPV2) will resume on 6 August and will continue until 20 September.

To be vaccinated, learners need to produce consent forms signed by parents/ guardians. The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the primary underlying cause of cervical cancer, which is transmitted through skin to skin contact and is a common virus infecting most people at some point in their lives.

There are different types of HPV and some virus types can infect the cells, and lead to cancer. About 40 types of HPV are sexually transmitted through genital contact, while mostly two types 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.

How do you as a parent feel about your daughter being vaccinated?

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.

For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites 

Randfontein Herald

Krugersdorp News 

Get It Joburg West Magazine

Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!