Quthing, Feb. 06 — The vaccination campaign against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) targeting girls and young woman has kicked off at various schools that comprise of primary and high schools in Quthing district this week.
The vaccination campaign targeting more than 11,500 girls aged between nine (9) and 18 and young woman aged from 18 to 24 living positively with HIV, is intended to protect them from getting infected with HPV, a virus that causes cervical cancer.
In an interview with the Agency, the District Child Health Officer from Quthing government hospital Nursing Sister Thobeka Sofonea said that the vaccination campaign to end on Sunday next week has started at different schools in nine health clinics in the district , adding that girls and young woman eligible to get vaccine will all get the services at school near their villages.
The district Child Health Officer appealed to young woman living positively with HIV that are eligible to vaccinate to ensure they get vaccinated for preventive measures since they are prone to get infected by HPV due their compromised immune system.
She pointed out that time to vaccinate in each school differ as agreed by vaccinators and teachers to ensure that the vaccination process does not interfere school lessons as agreed with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of education.
She further appealed to parents and guardians to ensure that their children go to school with health booklets on vaccination dates which they will get dates from children, village health workers, teachers, Chiefs and community councilors from their respective villages.
Quthing district has 140 schools comprise of primary and post primary schools.
The last vaccination Campaign against HPV in the district targeting children aged from nine to 14 years was carried out in December last year.
Quthing has nine (9) health clinics that include Mphaki, Makoae, Maqokho, St. Matthews, Tsatsane , St. Gabriel, Villa-Maria, Dilli-Dilli and Mother and Child Health (MCH) located in Urban Council and Community Councils.
