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For the month of October, Your Health Your Wealth, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, will discuss the vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which protects against cancers, including cervical cancer. # 39; uterus.
Q: How do you know that the HPV vaccine works?
A: Globally, many studies have shown that HPV vaccination works extremely well, reducing the number of HPV infections and cancer cases. In countries like Australia, Canada, England and Scotland, which set up a vaccination program at the population level many years ago, Cases of teenage girls and women with HPV infection and abnormal Pap tests showing pre-cancers have significantly decreased. These countries are now on the road to eliminating cervical cancer.
Q: Can the HPV Vaccine Cause Infertility?
A: No, there is no link between the HPV vaccine and the possibility of having children in the future. The girls who received the vaccine a few years ago had healthy pregnancies and children and are now leading a healthy and productive life knowing that they are protected from a deadly cancer. The vaccine can actually help protect women from future fertility problems related to cervical cancer or treatment for cervical cancer, such as radiation therapy or surgery to remove the uterus. We recommend that you consult your gynecologist for more information.
Q: And my son? Can he receive the vaccine?
Cervical cancer is an important public health problem for Jamaicans and the vaccination of girls is recommended as the best protection against cervical cancer. The Ministry of Health is now offering the HPV vaccine to girls only. If most girls in our population are vaccinated against HPV, it will reduce the risk of HPV infection in boys. Thus, boys will also benefit from HPV protection if only girls are vaccinated. Your son can be vaccinated privately and benefit from protection against cancers of the mouth, anus and genitals, as well as other HPV-related conditions.
Clarification
The following clarification concerns a question asked in the article "HPV FAQ – Part 1" of September 30, 2018:
Q: My daughter is in eighth grade. Can she receive the vaccine?
A: The Ministry of Health is currently offering the vaccine to girls in grade seven. The ministry will also offer the vaccine to girls who are now in Grade 8 and who have not been vaccinated while they were in Grade 7 in the last academic year (2017/2018), when the program HPV vaccination started. Therefore, the vaccine will be offered to girls who are now in grade 8 with those who started grade 7 this school year.
Answers compiled by Dr. Melody Ennis of the Ministry of Health.
What are your concerns, what are you not sure about? We would like to hear from you. Send your questions to [email protected]. You may also contact the Ministry of Health at 1-888-ONE-LOVE (663-5683) or [email protected]
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