The Ministry is Health and Medical Services (MHMS) continues to roll out the HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccines for girls 9-14 years old at health centres.
As part of its efforts to increase coverage, it is currently working closely with Provincial Education Authorities to revitalize the school health program of which the HPV vaccination is part of the program.
This was conveyed by Dr Nemia Bainivalu in his response to media enquiries at the PMO Press Conference over status of the HPV vaccination in Solomon Islands.
Dr Bainivalu said that HPV vaccination is currently happening in most of our schools around the country and the Ministry is encouraging parents and guardians to support the prevention of cervical cancer by allowing their girls to get their jab when health teams visits schools in their communities.
“For out of school girls, parents are encouraged to bring them to their nearest clinics for their HPV jabs”, said Dr Bainivalu.
He highlighted that Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Solomon Islands that is mainly caused by HPV.
“All girls aged 9 to 14 years should receive the HPV vaccine as it protects girls and women from most cervical cancers”, Highlighted Dr Bainivalu.
He informed that WHO now recommends one dose of HPV vaccines to protect against cervical cancer therefore parents and guardians do not need to get their girls to get a second dose if they had already received their first.
He assured that HPV is safe, effective and does not affect girl’s ability to have children in the future. “It is free and administered at health centres by trained professionals (vaccinators) who will be touring the schools as part of the school health program”, concluded Dr Bainivalu.
-MHMS Press