Our young people should be educated about HPV

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor,

Last year, then Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy had announced that Guyana will introduce the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine for girls between a certain age group as part of the ongoing fight against cancer. And just recently, the Health Ministry, in collaboration with the Education Ministry was able to deliver in keeping with this promise by introducing this vaccine during the launch of “Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and Prevention Programme”.

Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran said that the vaccine was launched against the background of a strong vaccination programme, which has been in operation for several decades. This move is significantly important, given that cancers represent one of the major causes of death and presently are ranked as the number four main cause of death in Guyana.

However, while it is good to have this vaccine available, our young people should be educated more about the HPV and its treatment etc. Quite a lot of information is in the public domain about cancers and so on, but most times such information is not simplified for ordinary persons to understand.

In this regard, it is necessary to let your readers know that HPV is one of the leading causes of cancer among women and is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Statistics indicate that some 450 persons die in Guyana each year from cancer, with cervical cancer in women being the most potent cancer in Guyana. Studies have shown that the HPV is the causative agent for more than 85 percent of cervical cancers.

Genital HPV is a common virus that is passed from one person to another through direct skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. Most sexually active people will get HPV at some time in their lives, though most will never even know it. HPV infection is most common in people in their late teens and early 20s. This vaccine will not only help prevent cervical cancer but genital warts as well.

The main transmission route for HPV is through sex, hence the reason for administering the vaccine to children at a young age or before their first sexual encounter is because 80 per cent of the world’s population is at some time exposed to HPV. Having said the above, the authorities should be commended for including HPV vaccine as an important component of their national policy and strategy for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cervical cancer.

Yours truly

J Archer

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