ADDIS ABABA – Ministry of Health disclosed that it will offer Human-Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to 1.1 million females in its National Immunization Program (NIP) to protect them from cervical cancer which is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) virus.
In exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Ministry’s National Vaccination Expert Getnet Bayih said that the Program is carried out in regular schedule but with greater focus to target groups in one solid week.
Expressing his prospect what the Program can do in lowering the morbidity and mortality rate as well as the burden posed by cervical cancer Getnet said that, however a lot remains to be done. The government, in respect to this, has high commitment in mobilizing resource and human capital.
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. The determination of the cause of it, its slow progression coupled with the development of the first cancer vaccine, cervical cancer prophylactic vaccine, makes it the most preventable cancer and one that can even be eradicated, he further asserted.
“The rate of cervical cancer in Ethiopia is 35.9 per 100,000 patients with 7619 annual number of new cases and 6081 deaths every year. So, putting in place vaccination program in advance could assist the nation in ensuring the accessibility of health service and in more cost effective fashion,” he noted.
Currently, the vaccination is well underway throughout the country, in schools and door to door services, he stated.
According to him, the Ministry is also working to strengthening screening and detecting services nationwide. This effort, combined with other health priorities, will make the Program effective.
The Program is an important step to realize the vision to meaningfully reduce the number of women and men affected by certain HPV-related cancers globally.
To this effect, the government is working with development partners including the World Health Organization and Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization among others.
Herald December 12/ 2018
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
