Masaka residents shun cervical cancer immunisation

Ms Maria Namuyombya, a nursing assistant at Kasana Health Centre II in Nyendo Town, immunises a girl last week. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER KISEKKA 

By Malik F.Jjingo, Moses Muwulya & Christopher Kisekka
Posted 


Monday, January 4  

2016 at 

02:00

In Summary

Reason. The Masaka District medical officer says due to poor sensitisation, many parents have not brought their children for immunisation.

Masaka. Masaka District health authorities have raised concerns over the low turn out during the ongoing cervical cancer immunisation exercise.
Government launched the free immunisation exercise last October to reduce the high cases of cervical cancer in the country, this time targeting girls from 9-13 years.

However, in Masaka District, parents are reluctant to take their children for immunisation, which is partly blamed on poor sensitisation about the masses.
“We had planned to immunise the children while still at school, but we received the vaccines when they were about to break off for holidays and finding them where they are now has proved difficult,” said Dr Stuart Musisi, the Masaka District medical officer in an interview yesterday.

“Some individuals are also de-campaigning the exercise, which has made some parents fear that the vaccine might be harmful to their children, which is not true,” he added.
Dr Musisi said they are now planning to extend the exercise to February so that they can get the children at the start of the new school term.

“We shall be working with school authorities to ensure that the exercise is a success. We shall also use the same opportunity to ensure that all girls who turn up for human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine are also immunised against tetanus,” he said. Dr Musisi, however, said they are challenged by some health units which have not yet picked immunisation kits such as Mpugwe and Kako Health centre IIIs.
He further urged parents to utilise the available opportunity to immunise their daughters because the vaccine is expensive in private clinics.

According to Ms Sarah Nalwadda, the officer in charge of Masaka Municipality Clinic, though the campaign is in its fifth week, only 12 girls have been vaccinated at the clinic.
“We received over 50 dosages and we endeavour to be around all the time, but parents are not bringing the girls. I think we need to do more sensitisation if this exercise is to succeed,” she said.

Cervical cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers among women between 15 and 44 years old.
It is estimated that about 3,915 women are diagnosed with the virus every year (new cases), and 2,275 women die from the disease every year, according to ministry of Health statistics.
The cancer that destroys the lowermost part of the uterus in the female reproductive system can lie harmless for two to 15 years from when the victim gets infected before it starts to finally bite with symptoms. If untreated, it can be fatal.

HPV vaccine
HPV vaccine is taken in two dozes at an interval of six months. It can prevent cervical, genital warts and vulvar cancer plus some cancers of the lungs.

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