Parents indifferent to HPV Vaccine

FRANCISTOWN: Even before the Ministry of Health (MoH) has started administering the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in primary schools, some parents have expressed their skepticism.

According to MoH, the HPV vaccine reportedly helps prevent HPV, which causes cervical cancer. The vaccine will be administered at schools across the country to girls in Standard five, six and seven, as well as at health facilities to out-of-school girls aged nine- 13 years, from February 23-27.

In a snap survey, parents indicated that they did not understand anything about HPV, and could not allow their children to be vaccinated. Thapelo Reoagile, a resident of Monarch location, a mother to a 12-year-old girl, said she was against the vaccine because they were never consulted. “Anyone who will touch my child must be prepared for a lawsuit. It seems as if they are piloting with our children because we have not been given any information in regard to the vaccination. I do not want my child to remain a pumpkin for the rest of her life due to some of these injections,” she fumed. She however, hastened to add that if awareness had been raised to enlighten parents she would be prepared to consider the vaccine for her child.

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