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Locadia Mavhudzi Midlands Correspondent
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has reached out to over 1 100 primary and secondary schools in the Midlands as it targets to vaccinate 120 000 girls against the human papillomavirus (HPV) next week.

Midlands provincial medical director Dr Simon Nyadundu, said preparations for the roll out are now at an advanced stage as over 1 195 primary and secondary schools both public and private have been engaged on the impending national programme.

He said the provincial HPV first phase vaccination has been pencilled for May 14 to May 19, adding that the same girls will get their second dose in May 2019.

“We have intensified advocacy, programme communication and social mobilisation for the first phase of the HPV vaccination in the province.

“School health masters are compiling registers for eligible girls in advance of the vaccination teams. In Midlands Province we are looking forward to reaching 120 000 girls aged between 10 years and 14 years in and out of school from May 14 to May 19,” said Dr Nyadundu.

He said health facilities in the province were also stocking HPV doses for those girls that are not in school.

Dr Nyadundu said village health workers would also play a central role in identifying eligible girls in rural areas who are out of school.

“Stationery/HPV registers are currently being distributed in advance to all schools. Vaccines arrived in the country and currently, distribution is almost complete. The MoHCC under the Government of Zimbabwe in collaboration with partners has provided much needed resources in the form of manpower, fuel, vehicles and other logistics.

“For Midlands Province alone, we need 40 user-friendly vehicles, which are able to transport vaccines safely to the recipient without them being exposed to sunlight,” he said.

“The out-of-school population will be captured through the village health workers in semi-urban and rural areas, and health facility staff working in collaboration with traditional leaders.”

The HPV roll out campaign, a school-based programme targeting to vaccinate all girls aged from 10 to 14 years is running under the theme: “I am vaccinated, I am protected from cervical cancer.”