Cervical Cancer can be eliminated if more people take HPV vaccine – Health Minister

Over the years, cervical cancer has remained the most prevalent cancer among women in the country and the Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony says it can be eliminated if more persons take the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine.

“It is preventable. So, we can eliminate cervical cancer from Guyana…The simple answer is that there is a vaccine that is available. It’s called HPV vaccine and if you get that vaccine, it prevents the development of cervical cancer,” Dr Anthony said on Saturday while delivering remarks at the commissioning of a comprehensive diabetes centre at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.

The HPV vaccine was introduced in Guyana in 2012.

However, according to Dr Anthony, “a lot of persons” have not been taking the vaccine.

“What we notice is that a lot of people not coming to take the vaccine…If we are successful, the second most prevalent women among women, we can prevent them from happening. It is that simple. Just get the vaccine and prevent this from happening,” Dr Anthony said.

HPV is one of the most common sexually-transmitted viruses and causes cervical cancer. The vaccine is administered to boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 15.

While it prevents cervical cancer in women, it helps to prevent penal cancer in boys.

A large-scale vaccination campaign has been launched, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, to help the country combat the prevalence of cervical cancer and other types of cancers.

Last year, the Health Minister had noted that boys and girls aged nine to 15 will receive a single dose of the vaccines; those 10 to 18 years old will receive two doses, while those aged 19 to 45 years and those people who are immunocompromised will receive three doses.

If administered consistently over the next few years, the country is likely to see a reduction in these types of cancers.

Similarly, Dr Anthony said breast cancer, which is the most prevalence cancer among women, is also a challenge.

And to address it, he said there is a need for more prevention.

“We need to do more prevention. People need to come in, get screening, get a mammogram done. So that we can detect whether or not you are at risk for breast cancer. Most people don’t do that so that’s a challenge,” Dr Anthony noted.

“So, in terms of breast cancer we need to work more to prevent that,” he said.