Guyana looking to increase HPV vaccine rate

The annual Vaccination Week in the Americas highlights the importance of vaccination and initially promoted vaccination in children under the age of 5, but with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the event will also be used to promote COVID vaccination in all age groups.

For Guyana specifically, the week will be focused on increasing the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination rate, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony revealed on Wednesday.

“For many years now we have also been doing HPV vaccine to protect persons against the HPV and if you get this vaccine, the likelihood of you developing certain type of cancers is drastically reduced so in women it would prevent cervical cancer, in boys, when you grow and become a man in some cases it helps to prevent penal cancers and other cases rectal cancers,” Dr Anthony revealed during his daily COVID update on Wednesday.

The vaccine is administered to boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 14.

“We hope that parents, teachers and everyone who is interested in preventing cancers in Guyana, would promote this vaccine because this is one of the main tools that you have in preventing cancer,” Dr Anthony said.

If the HPV vaccine is administered consistently over the next few years, the country will see a reduction in these types of cancers.

Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer among women in Guyana.

Vaccination Week will be held from April 23 to 30 and this year under the theme: Protect your community, do your part.