Nyandarua County targets to have 8, 650 girls receive the HPV vaccine in phase one of the exercise launched at JM Memorial Level Four Hospital.
The Ministry of Education, clergy and the county department of health are in a vibrant campaign to hit the target by next month.
“We are vigorously campaigning to ensure a hundred percent success. We are using every forum to engage and sensitise our parents. The teachers are in full support of the vaccination; they are our ambassadors on the ground,” said Nyandarua Central Director of Education James Wahome.
He said that during the launch, girls from six primary schools within Ol Kalou Constituency, Huruma, JM Kariuki, ACK St Peter’s Academy, Hospital, and St Joseph’s Primary School received the jab at the JM Memorial Hospital.
County Health Executive Njoroge Mungai said the department has trained 180 health workers to undertake the exercise
“Most girls develop cervical cancer in their teens, (which then manifests) when a woman is in her twenties, in mid-thirties, forties up to fifties. Those vaccinated this month will receive a final jab in six months, that is in March next year,” said Dr Mungai.
Rev Rose Kariuki of ACK Church Ol Kalou Parish advised the clergy to support the exercise, adding that her church is in full support of the HPV vaccination.
“It pains me to hear some clergy mislead their faithful. Let us think about women losing their lives due to cervical cancer and the children orphaned by this killer disease,” said Rev Kariuki.
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