NW parents urged to give consent for HPV vaccine

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Health MEC Magome Masike has called on parents to give their consent by signing forms that allow health officials to vaccinate their children against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

“It is important that we protect our children, future women of South Africa, against cervical cancer. The focus here is prevention and promotion rather than curative.

“I am therefore appealing to all communities to inform parents, guardians and extended families of these young girls that the vaccination is available and is free,” said MEC Masike.

HPV is a group of more than 150 related viruses that are transmitted through sexual intercourse. The virus can infect the genital area and end up causing genital warts and different cancers.

The MEC made this call to parents as the Department of Health together with the Department of Education kick started their first round of HPV vaccination targeting school girls from the age of nine years.

The purpose of this intervention is to prevent cervical cancer and protect learners against worm infestations. Health professionals will soon be knocking at the doors of public schools in the province to administer free HPV vaccines.

The vaccination drive will run from 7 February until 27 March 2018 in schools in the North West.

The MEC said the success of an immunisation campaign such as this one is highly dependent on the parental acceptance of the vaccine as an effective lifesaving immunisation.

“Parents need to ensure that they have signed and return the consent forms which they will receive from the school that their child attends. No girl will be vaccinated without parental consent,” said MEC Masike.

The Health Department runs the campaign twice in a year. The second dose will be administered from 22 August to 27 September 2018. – SAnews.gov.za