There has been an increase in detection of HPV: Phaahla
Phaahla says South Africans should visit their clinics for tests.
Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla says there has been an increase in the detection of common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) linked to several types of cancer. Phaahla has addressed a vaccine week event at Hebron north of Pretoria.
He says it is crucial for communities to visit their nearest health facilities for routine tests to enhance prevention and early detection of HPV infection before it can develop into fully blown cancer.
Phaahla says early vaccination is the best solution.
“Our teams have been here over the week; they have been busy advocating the pro-vaccine (message) and making sure that our kids are vaccinated and they did a catch up and are also doing promotion. All the diseases that can be prevented by vaccination, this is the week whereas the whole of Africa we bind ourselves that we must defeat all these diseases. ”
Speaking at the same event, Acting Chief Director of Maternal, Child and Women’s Health, Lesley Bamford, urged the public to get the influenza and the HPV vaccine to avoid child deaths from childhood diseases.
Dr Bamford says the vaccination week campaign will go a long way in empowering parents about the importance of vaccination.
She says Hebron is among one of the places that has decreased numbers when it comes to vaccinations especially to children and young girls.
“For the past 10 years we have been vaccinating girls in our schools against HPV, which is a virus and by vaccinating girls we protect them from developing cervical cancer as they become women. It takes a long time to develop but if we vaccinate them as young girls, we prevent them at developing HPV and cancer in the long term. “
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