AYV News, February 7, 2025
A total of 58 girls at the age of 10 received Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination during the Network Movement for Democracy and Human Rights’ School-to-School HPV Sensitisation Tour at Waterloo, Western Area Rural.
This vaccination was made possible with the help of the District Health Management Team (DHMT) who accompanied the sensitization team to six schools and ensured that children at age 10 were vaccinated.
The SDA Primary school, St. Raphael’s Primary and Junior Secondary School, Calmont Road Primary School and the FAWE Junior and Senior Secondary School were among the school visited by NMDHR and the DHMT.
A total of 2,578 pupils were sensitized about the HPV virus, its impact on women and girls and how it can be prevented. The Programs Director, Nabieu Kamara informed the pupils that NMDHR is working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the District Health Medical Team and the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) with support from the Global Alliance for Vaccines Immunization (GAVI).
He emphasized on the need for girls at age 10 to take the vaccines, noting that the vaccine would provide them with full protection against the HPV virus. He said that HPV is the primary cause for cervical cancer which is negatively impacting women from giving birth causing bareness and also at an advance stage would lead to bleeding and subsequently death.
He encouraged all girls who have reached age 10 to get vaccinated.
At the end of the sensitization, with the help of teachers and the school authorities, girls at the age of ten were identified and vaccinated. After vaccination, vaccination cards were given to them as a proof of receiving the HPV vaccine and they were advised not to take another HPV vaccination as the one dose was sufficient.
The sensitization exercise ended with School Club formations in all the school and also snapshots with the children who have been vaccinated.
