HPV Vaccination

Abstract

A recent report in a local newspaper implied that 2 learners who had received the vaccines against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) were adversely affected by the vaccines and that the damage was caused by the vaccines themselves. This information was not put into context and was attributed to the vaccines without any evidence. It is essential that the public understand that cervical cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in women living in low resource countries (second only to breast cancer) and the fourth most common cancer cause of death in women globally after breast, colorectal and lung cancer. It is estimated that there are over 6 000 new cases of cervix cancer diagnosed in South African women every year, of whom over 50% will die from the disease. Of those women acquiring and dying from cervical cancer in SA over 80% are black women, due to the lack of access to cervical cancer prevention through Pap smears.