Western north: The Western North Regional Health Directorate has launched a Human Papillomavirus Virus (HPV) vaccination program aimed at immunizing 63,400 young girls across the region. This initiative is part of a nationwide effort to protect girls between the ages of nine and 14 from cervical cancer.
According to Ghana News Agency, the vaccination drive will be conducted across all nine districts in the region. The campaign commenced with visits to selected schools by a team from the Regional Health Directorate, Regional Coordinating Council, and the Regional Education Directorate. The team visited the Wiawso College of Education Demonstration School, John Bitah Basic School, and Nakams Basic School within the Wiawso Municipality to initiate the campaign and educate young girls on the importance of receiving the vaccine.
In a statement to the Ghana News Agency, Dr. Paulina Clara Appiah, the Regional Director of Health, expressed satisfaction with the campaign's commencement. She reassured the public of the vaccine's safety and encouraged young girls to get vaccinated to protect themselves from cervical cancer. Dr. Appiah highlighted that the vaccine had been safely piloted in Ghana since 2013. She also expressed gratitude to the Government of Ghana, UNICEF, and WHO for making the vaccine available at no cost.
The Regional Director appealed to parents and community leaders to support the vaccination efforts and help in achieving the campaign's objectives. Mr. Wilbert Petty Brentum, the Western North Regional Minister, emphasized the seriousness of cervical cancer, citing statistics from 2020 where 2,800 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer, resulting in 1,700 fatalities. He underscored the importance of early vaccination to prevent HPV, a major contributor to cervical cancer, and urged residents to participate actively in the vaccination campaign.
