New jab will cut women’s cancer

HEALTH bosses say cases of cervical cancer could be cut by nearly three-quarters in Oldham, thanks to a new vaccination programme.

And they insist there are enough staff ready to fulfil the massive campaign, which starts in the next few weeks, to distribute the HPV, or human papilloma virus, vaccine.

It protects against two types of the sexually-transmitted infection, which cause more than 70 per cent of cervical cancers.

It is being offered to all 12 and 13-year-old girls in school year 8 and girls who are currently aged 17 or 18.

From August 2009 for two years, there will also be a catch-up vaccination programme for girls aged 15 to 18.

Parents of eligible girls in Oldham will receive information about the vaccination, which will be given in three doses over six months.

Alan Higgins, director of public health for Oldham, said: “We have an established cervical cancer screening programme which has been helping us to reduce the number of people with cervical cancer.

“However, there were 143 women who died as a result of cervical cancer in 2005 in the North-West. The HPV vaccination should ensure this will fall significantly in the years to come. The HPV vaccination programme is another important step forward that will benefit the health of women in Oldham for years to come.”

Former school nurse Kate Forbes, who now works in a sexual health clinic, had raised fears that there might not be enough school nurses nationally to deliver the jabs.

Writing in the British Journal of School Nursing, she said the local health trusts faced a tough challenge to implement the programme against a backdrop of cost-cutting.

But Mr Higgins said: “We have worked alongside schools and parents to ensure there are plans in place and we are confident we will to be able to carry out the HPV vaccination programme. School nurses will provide the vaccination to girls aged 12 to 13 and GP practices to girls aged 17 to 18.”

The Department of Health says it has provided £18.9million to PCTs to support the vaccination.

The Government has also rolled out a campaign to encourage girls to have the jab, including on-line, press, TV and radio advertising, roadshows and by targeting social networking sites.

Further information is available at www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/HPV or by calling the national HPV helpline on 0845 602 3303.