BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE – The Ministry of Health is set to embark on mitigating cervical cancer in the country as it has planned to implement a rollout for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.
The roll out has seen the Ministry train health workers who will be responsible for the administering of the vaccine.
This follows the allocation of the vaccination rollout in the 2022/2023 national budget. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine is administered differently for people of different ages.
For young people in particular, it can be administered at nine years and a two dose series is taken into place. The duration between these two doses is six to twelve months.
The HPV Information Centre states, in estimations for the year 2020, that about 341 new cervical cancer cases are diagnosed annually in the country and cervical cancer ranks as the first leading cause of female cancer in Eswatini.
During an interview with Mgcineni Ndlangamandla, who is a Sexual Reproduction Health (SRH) Officer in the Ministry of Health, explained how during a rollout program, members of the public were usually made aware of what is to take place and the purpose for it.
He said this took place so that people would be fully aware of how the vaccine would assist them and answer any other questions they had about the implementation.
“Various strains of HPV spread through sexual contact and are associated with most cases of cervical cancer. Gardasil 9 is an HPV vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and can be used for both girls and boys,” he said
In addition, he said this vaccine can prevent most cases of cervical cancer if the vaccine is given before girls or women are exposed to the virus.
“This vaccine can also prevent vaginal and vulvar cancer. In addition, the vaccine can prevent genital warts, anal cancers, and mouth, throat, head and neck cancers in women and men.
The Kingdom of Eswatini is also preparing for the nationwide rollout of one of the world’s biggest lifesavers- the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine,” he said.
During the 2022/2023 budget speech, the Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg announced E20 million ($1.4 million) for the HPV vaccine rollout.
“Following the high burden of HPV infections and cervical cancer cases in the country, the government has budgeted E20 million and plans to introduce the HPV vaccine in schools for young girls between the ages of nine to 14 years,” the minister said.
Dlamini is positive, explaining that the presence of the HPV vaccine in the country will not only save lives but also reduce the economic burden of cancer.
More than 80 000 girls are expected to get their first jab of the HPV vaccine in June, with the vaccine administered in two doses, with a six-month interval between jabs.
