Elders make a u-turn, abandon initial reservations about the vaccine and back drive
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Garissa county on Thursday launched a human papillomavirus vaccination drive targeting 33,885 girls across the county.
The jab will be administered to girls aged 10 as a protective measure against cervical cancer.
Speaking during the launch at the Garissa Primary School, Health executive Ahmednathir Omar said at least nine women die of cervical cancer in Kenya daily. The Star could not independently verify his statistics.
"It is our mothers, our aunts, our sisters and our daughters who suffer the most from the burden of this disease. Cancer of the cervix is the leading cause of cancer related deaths among women in Kenya. But this is now preventable through vaccination,” Omar said.
The official cautioned against misinformation about the vaccine which he said could derail the vaccination campaign.
“There has been a lot of misinformation about this vaccine. Do not listen to the misinformation out there. This will save our girls from cancer," Omar said.
At the weekend, local religious leaders unanimously endorsed the vaccine after previously expressing their reservations.
In a consultative meeting organised by the department of health, clerics backed the vaccine, saying their change of position was supported by scientific facts.
Participants were drawn from the health department, the directorate of religious affairs, Supkem, Council of Imams and preachers, madrasa teachers and Northeastern Muslim Welfare.
The meeting was attended by Supkem chairman Abdullahi Salat, Chairman of CIPK Sheikh Abdinassir Hassan, renowned preacher Sheikh Mohamed Abdi, Sheikh Ali Gure, Sheikh Abdullahi Bulow and director of religious affairs Sheikh Mohamed Yakub.
Omar said the vaccine was safe and has been in Kenya for years although it was only being given in private hospitals. The jab costs Sh8,000 in private hospitals but the county will give it for free.
He said the county was targeting 10-year-old girls on the presumption that they were not yet sexually active although puberty was setting in.
The girls will be administered the vaccine in two doses, six months apart across all hospitals including refugee camps.
HPV is a viral infection that is passed between people through skin-to-skin contact. There are more than 40 varieties of HPV which are passed through sexual contact and can affect the genitals, mouth, or throat.
Various strains of HPV spread through sexual contact and are associated with most cases of cervical cancer.
This vaccine offers 95 per cent lifetime protection in most cases of cervical cancer if given before a girl or woman is exposed to the virus. The vaccine can also prevent vaginal and vulva cancer in women. It also prevents genital warts and anal cancer in women.
edited by p. obuya