By 
About 1,500 girls in Sumbawanga District Council in Rukwa region have been vaccinated against cervical cancer since the vaccination campaign rolled out on April this year. The number is part of targetted 8,397 girls to be reached in the fight against Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) which causes the cancer.
The exercise aims to immunise girls aged 14 years old during this year as per government plan.
The Sumbawanga District Coun-cil Vaccination Coordinator , Ms Eliana Chura said yesterday that the development of the vaccine is sustainable and intends to reach 700 girls each month.
“I encourage parents and guardians to allow their daughters to get the HPV vaccine, as there are no serious side effects from this type and there are no permanent health risks,” she said.
Ms Chura further said that the vaccine was provided in 66 cen-tres, including health centres and schools in the area.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), globally the East African region is the leading weight carrier of cervical cancer and suggests that Tanzania is among five countries with the highest rate in Africa.
Tanzania is the seventh African country to introduce the HIP vaccine into its routine immunisation programme after Rwanda, Uganda Mauritius, Botswana, South Africa and Seychelles.
Cervical Cancer stages
Comments