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Dr Parirenyatwa

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Government has introduced the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine in a bid to end cervical cancer-related deaths among women in the country.
Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa launched the new life saving vaccine at Dulibadzimu stadium in Beitbridge yesterday.
He said the HPV vaccine would be initiated simultaneously on 9 000 girls aged 10 years in Beitbridge and Marondera.
These, he said, were being vaccinated against HPV type 16 and 18.

Dr Parirenyatwa said cervical cancer was the number one killer amongst women in the country and number two in the world.
He said this year the Ministry would vaccinate 4 441 school going girls from both districts, which were chosen to pilot the project after they performed well during the Government immunisation programme.

“We are going to administer the vaccine on a further 4 490 in 2015. Under this project, the girls will have to go through two vaccinations within a period of six months.

“Beitbridge and Marondera have been selected to pilot the HPV vaccine and we will roll out the project to the rest of the country in 2016.
“The current high cervical cancer burden, fuelled by the ongoing HIV epidemic, demands us to employ strategies that provide adequate protection for our population, especially young ones.

“We are also working on a programme to reach out of school girls aged 10 years,” he said.
Dr Parirenyatwa said his ministry was committed to controlling, eliminating and eradicating vaccine preventable diseases among children and other population groups.

He called for an integrated effort between stakeholders on information dissemination to ensure that the project was implemented successfully.
“The HPV vaccination is a WHO recommended intervention and, together with cervical cancer screening and treatment, may dramatically reduce these deaths and illnesses caused by cancer.

“WHO also recommends that the currently licensed vaccines be primarily targeted at 9-13-year old girls to prevent infection with two types of human papilloma virus known to lead to about 70 percent of cancer.

“Further, this product has been approved by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe,” he said.
He said in 2012, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation launched the HPV demonstration programme, which has since been embraced by several countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

He added that in Africa 10 countries were piloting the vaccine while two others had a total coverage.
Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Professor Paul Mavima, said his ministry was committed to working with health officials in making the programme a success.

WHO country representative to Zimbabwe, Dr Stanley Midzi, said the HPV vaccine was very effective if administered before infection.