The Liberian Ministry of Health and in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) have launched the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine to prevent cancer in the womb in northeastern Liberia.
HPV is an infectious disease can cause cervical cancer and it is a very common infectious agent that has no visible symptoms, and most infections will go away without causing illness and it can be transmitted directly by skin to skin contact during sexual activity.
However, condom can be used to reduce the chances of transmitting HPV. But health experts say it not one hundred percent effective and about seven in every ten people will have HPV at some point in their lifetime especially with sexual activity.
The vaccine, which was launched in Nimba County’s capital city, Sanniquellie recently, aims at preventing womb cancer.
It is used to prevent infection from HPV which is most effective in young girls who have not yet come into contact with HPV especially sexual activity and also prevent HPV infection from becoming cervical cancer.
Furthermore, the vaccine can prevent about 70% of cervical cancers is safe and this vaccine has been used in several countries and is effective against cervical cancer only when complete three doses taken requires three correctly spaced doses from zero to five months.
The newly infectious womb cancer vaccine cannot treat or cure HPV infection once it has been contacted but rather for prevention only and it does not treat or cure cervical cancer neither it does not prevent or treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection nor prevent or end pregnancy and it not a method of family planning either.
Speaking during the launch ceremony, the Regional Coordinator of the WHO, Gennevie H. Mensah said encouraged everyone to carry the message to their homes, market place and communities.
Madam Mensah added that the vaccine is not only about today but rather it is continue process at schools, and all health facilities, therefore parents with nine years old should advantage of preventing their girl children from womb cancer.
For his part, the Child Survival Focal Person of the Nimba county health team Bernard Lakpor disclosed that the vaccine is only targeting nine year old girl children adding that statistic has shown that nine years old girl children has not have sex adding that the vaccine is given twice and one is given now then after six months the last one is given at which the child will be certificated.
According to him, the Ministry of Health is also in partnership with the Ministry of Education in making sure that this vaccine is being administered at various schools to prevent nine years old girl children from getting the womb cancer virus.
Meanwhile, the county clinical supervisor who prexy for the county health officer Karmtay Deemie said many people in Liberia always misinterpret vaccine issues in such a way that portrayed it in the negative making people to be afraid.
The Nimba County clinical supervisor stated that people who have this virus can bleed profusely without stopping and those days someone will say the person in animal adding that people already infected, this vaccine cannot treat them.
Mr. Deemie called on every citizens to send their nine years old girl children in order to prevent them from womb cancer from the early stage.
The launching was graced by marketers, educator, office of the superintendent, OIC of various health facilities and supervisors among others. By Garmah Never Lomo