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Rumbidzai Zinyukwe Senior Reporter
The First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has officially launched the National Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme at Chancellor Primary School in Mutare.

Speaking at the event, Cde Mnangagwa said the programme would reduce cervical cancer cases in the country. 10 children aged between 10 and 14 years were immunised to mark the rollout of the programme.

“I would like to see these sad statistics reversed. So it fills me with pride that two government ministries, the ministry of health and the ministry of primary and secondary education have teamed up to beat this lethal infection and protect our young girls through vaccination,” she said.

The HPV vaccine pilot project was launched in September 2014 in Beitbridge and Marondera where about 9 000 adolescent girls aged 9-14 years received the new anti-cancer vaccine.

More than 500 000 girls aged between 10 and 14 are expected to be vaccinated against cervical cancer as Government intensifies efforts to reduce the number of women diagnosed with the disease.

An estimated 2 270 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Zimbabwe annually and a mortality rate of 64 percent has been recorded.

More to follow…