The Central Regional Health Directorate following its initial publicization on the Human Papilloma (HP) vaccines in the nation's fight against cervical cancer, has started administering the vaccines on girls at various public and private schools in the region.

The vaccination exercise which took on Wednesday, 8th October, is earmarked for 5-days and expected to end on Sunday, with age bracket targeted for the vaccination being 9-14 year-old girls, as such individuals are perceived to be sex-naive and will thus have the vaccine work better on them in the prevention of the dreadful infectious disease.

As many as 209,221 girls are expected to be vaccinated in the Central Region, out of a nationwide target of 2,463,889 girls estimated for the vaccination, having had cervical cancer become the second leading cancer related deaths among women in Ghana, with nearly 2,800 new cases recorded in 2020 and 1,700 deaths occuring.

However, report has it that 6 out of 10 women dies of the infection when contracted.

Dr. Joojo Cobbinah, the Deputy Director for Public Health in the Central Region, after a demonstrative administration of the HP vaccines at some basic schools in the region, shared optimism in getting the expected number (209,221) of girls estimated to be vaccinated in the region.

He again encouraged parents and guardians to have their girls within the set age bracket, avail themselves for the vaccination, since it bares no side effect but will in turn protect their female children from cervical cancer.

Zara Yarahab and Selina Ekwam, both pupils of Bakatir Methodist Basic School in Cape Coast, after taking their vaccination, urged other girls to fully patronize in the HP vaccination exercise, since the vaccine pose no threat to either their health or fertility as female, but rather protect them against the deadly cervical cancer, which they will wish never to contract.

Sompaonline.com/Eric Annan