Authorities warn against doomsayers at HPV vaccine introduction
– Say decision to introduce vaccine  not a ‘willy nilly’ one
THE HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccine was introduced in Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) on Tuesday, with authorities appealing to parents to beware of doomsayers  and allow their daughters to be vaccinated. The vaccination is intended to prevent cervical cancer, which is one of the leading causes of death amongst Guyanese women  and the plea was made by Regional Chairman David Armogan.
The introduction was done in the All Saints Primary School, in New Amsterdam, where several 11-year-old girls received their first doses in the presence of their parents and health officials.
Mr. Armogan, who is also Chairman of the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA), described the event as another initiative of the Health Ministry to ensure that the populace live  healthier lives.
He reminded his audience that the health and education sectors take the largest slice of the country’s national budget.
Armogan said the decision to introduce this vaccine is not a ‘willy nilly’ one, but was tested and tried and he referred to the in- depth research carried out by international agencies, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).
According to him: “When the vaccine was initially introduced, a certain section of the citizenry said we should have done more research. There are people in the society who are permanent protestors. This is the 16th vaccine we are introducing. With the others, polio, yellow fever, etc., we never had a problem.”

MORTALITY RATE
Maternal and Child Health Officer, Dr. Janice Woolford reiterated the appeal to parents, primarily mothers, to take note of the country’s cervical cancer incidence of 47.3 per 100,000 women, with a mortality rate of 22.2 percent, which is 60 percent higher than in the Caribbean and Latin America Region.
She said, records from the Guyana Cancer Society revealed a total of 520 cases in females over the five-year period from 2004 to 2009, with 309 being alive at the end of the reporting time.
As a consequence, it was observed that the direct medical care costs associated with cervical cancer in 2010 were estimated as higher than the  prevention programme through vaccination .
Woolford noted that indirect economic costs will be significantly greater, representing lost earnings for women and families , worker replacement in businesses and significant to society, 25.9 years of life, on average, to each woman who dies of cervical cancer.
Highlighting the success rate of the Ministry’s immunisation drive, she said the country had been certified free of polio in 1990;  of yellow fever in 1968; measles in 1992 and a significant reduction in reported cases of mumps, rubella, whooping cough and  pneumonia over the last decade.
In response to the question as to why 11-year-olds were chosen to start the HPV vaccination process, Woolford said, initially, the vaccine will be given to girls of that age and to those who have not reached their 12th birthday. This is so, because the vaccine has to be given before the girls become sexually active and HPV infection can occur the very first time girls and women have sex, even if they indulge in it only one time.

OWN INVESTIGATIONS
She, nevertheless, urged the gathering to do their own investigations, access reputable health sites, such as PAHO  and WHO and  do not listen to persons who may have accessed some blog which is misinforming the public.
Regional Education Officer , Ms. Shaifran Bhajan, who also spoke on the mid-afternoon occasion, congratulated the Health Ministry for taking the step to help protect the main person in the family of tomorrow.
Chief Executive Officer of the BRHA, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo applauded  parents for being on the front burner and allowing the Region to be the leader, again, in an immunisation drive.
The HPV vaccine, which is administered intramuscularly, had its introduction, through the Ministry of Health, last January 11. It is licensed by the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration  as the first vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer, abnormal and pre-cancerous cervical, vaginal and vulvar lesions and genital warts.
It is delivered in three injections over six months, the second after two months, followed by the third and last dose six months after the first.
GARDASIL is a recombinant vaccine, effective against HPV types six, 11, 16 and 18 and is approved for use on females aged between nine and 26 years old.