Vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV) will now be available to girls aged nine to 15 at private schools in the province, Gauteng Health said last week.
The school vaccination campaign includes a basket of services under the Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP) health service package, and has been in place for a decade.
The first phase of the HPV vaccination campaign between February and March saw 74 359 (84.6%) Grade 5 girls receiving the shots, with the Department close to meeting the intended target of 87 910 pupils in public primary and special schools.
The second phase of the HPV vaccination programme, which started this month, will end on 15 November, reports The Star.
During the same period, an additional vaccine will be given – to boys and girls in Grade 5 at public schools only – against Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap).
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in South Africa, after breast cancer, and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, particularly women aged 15 to 44.
More than 5 000 new cases of cervical cancer are reported annually, with most cases being fatal.
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