Elizah Palme, EMTV Online, Port Moresby
A medical team from the NCD Health Services led by Sr. Helen Kaii were the last ones to take a photograph with the National Rugby Team, PNG Kumuls who have visited Kopkop College on Thursday 2 November, 2017.
The small breather then led into the conducting of Cervical Cancer Vaccination for the girls’ population of the college. EMTV Online witnessed as names of the girls were confirmed whilst they queued in a classroom to be vaccinated.
“HPV stands for Human Papillomavirus, the virus that causes cervical cancer,” Kaii said explaining the importance of the vaccination program being spearheaded by the Rotarians and the National Department of Health.
According to Kaii, this is the second dose or the booster dose which boosts up the immune system so that the young girls can be protected against cervical cancer. Rolling out the first dose in May, 2017, the HPV vaccination program was run in all schools (both public and private) in National Capital District and will be extending to other provinces next year.
“It is for girls between ages 9 and 14 only,” Kaii said.
“For girls, age 15 and above depends on the Health Department itself to run which program they want to run”.
Kaii’s team is one of the three teams from each of the National Capital District’s electorates.
Kaii said cervical cancer is a burning issue today because most mothers and women die of cervical cancer.
“Due to that, now that we have vaccines, we are trying to protect our young ones, before its too late.”
The immunisations are free of charge, however, Kaii said the vaccine itself is expensive.
This is the final rollout program in NCD and almost 15,000 girls in NCD have been vaccinated upon approval by their parents through consent forms.
