HPV Vaccine Training For Sub County Health Management Teams
HPV VACCINE TRAINING FOR SUB-COUNTY HEALTH MANAGEMENT TEAMS 23/09/2019.
The Unit of Vaccines and Immunizations in the Department of Health conducted a one (1) day training for the SCHMTs at the Emess Hotel in Nanyuki. The SCHMTs will then cascade the trainings to the health facilities where the Health Care Workers will then be expected to give HPV Vaccine to girls ten (10) years of age; interpreted as a girl born in the year 2009. The exercise will be conducted in the whole country.
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection is the leading cause of cervical cancers in the world. It is estimated that every year, 5,250 women in the country are diagnosed with the disease, and about 3,286 cervical cancer deaths occur annually. At the same time, 10.3 million women aged 15 years and above are at risk of developing the disease. Immunization with the HPV vaccine therefore greatly reduces the impact of cervical cancer. The vaccine can prevent most cases of cervical cancer if given before a girl or woman is exposed to the virus. Once someone is infected with HPV, the vaccine might not be as effective or might not work at all. Also, response to the vaccine is better at younger ages than it is at older ages.
Officiating at the closure of the workshop the CECM-Health, Dr.Lenai Kamario noted that the HPV vaccine is not new and has undergone the requisite research and approval by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is therefore safe for use by our girls and aims at protecting the adolescent girls against cervical cancer infection.
The actual dates for the vaccination shall be communicated in due course.
