Nearly 400,000 girls get HPV vaccine

Over 300,000 girls aged 10 years have so far received shots of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine that guards against Cervical Cancer.

Dr. Henry Luzze the deputy manager Uganda National Expanded Program on Immunisation (UNEPI) said the vaccine which the Ministry of Health started administering to the girls in January this year, benefited 381, 045 as of May this year, countrywide.

"Our aim is to reach 791,867 girls at the end of this year," Luzze said, adding that as of May this year, coverage of the vaccine was at 48 percent.  

Cancer of the cervix is the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of the cells of the cervix resulting in wounds and bleeding. The cervix is the lowest portion of a woman's womb (uterus) that connects to the vagina.

This cancer usually spreads to other parts of the body and is transmitted through sexual contact with an infected person.

Cancer of the cervix, leading cause of death among women with cancers in Uganda is the most common reproductive health cancer among women in Uganda accounting for up to 40percent of all cancers recorded in Kampala cancer registry and for 80% of all female cancers. 

The people at risk of getting cancer of the cervix are all sexually active girls/women, girls who have sexual intercourse for the first time at an early age, girls and women with multiple sex partners.

Others are girls with other genital infections and girls and women with weakened immune systems.

In November last year, Government rolled out the program targeting school going children in Primary Four and those that are out of school aged 10 years.

The exercise that was first piloted in 14 districts and registered success was eventually rolled out throughout the country.

The HPV vaccine according to the Uganda National Immunisation Schedule is given in 2 shots. The first, at first contact with the girl, and second six months later. It is administered on the left upper arm.

Speaking at a media orientation workshop on immunisation at Piato Restaurant on Wednesday, Cassim Kaggwa Ddumba the Programme Manager, Advocacy Communication and Social Mobilisation at UNEPI said the HPV vaccine produces a more robust immune response during the preteen years.

"It is mainly administered to young girls because older teens are less likely to get heath check-ups than preteens," Ddumba said.

Being a new vaccine, Luzze said the biggest challenges they face are health workers who take a bit of time understanding the mode of administration and storage. The other challenge is because of its bulky nature, the vaccine can only be distributed in small quantities because it tends to occupy large space in the Health Centres.

Signs and symptoms of cancer of the cervix include pain during sexual intercourse, lower abdominal pain, bleeding during intercourse, inter-menstrual and heavy menstrual bleeding and abnormal vaginal discharge with a bad smell.