Hackney girls aged 12 – 18 urged to have their HPV jab

Hackney girls and young women aged 12 – 18 years are urged to help protect themselves against cervical cancer by getting all three doses of the HPV vaccine.

Hackney and the City are 13 percentage points behind the national average when it comes to the number of eligible 12 – 13 year old girls to complete the routine HPV vaccine programme in the 2009/10 academic year, according to a recent Health Protection Agency report.

HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections and the two strains (HPV16 and 18) that the vaccine protects against cause over 70 per cent of cervical cancer. It has been estimated that immunising girls before they become infected will prevent up to 400 deaths every year in the UK.

The HPV vaccination programme is predominantly conducted in schools. Three doses of vaccine given over a minimum of six months are required to ensure adequate protection.

In England as a whole, 76.4 per cent of girls aged 12-13 years completed the three dose course of the HPV vaccine, but in Hackney the number is only 63.3 per cent.

Dr Jose Figueroa, Deputy Director of Public Health at NHS City and Hackney said: “These statistics show our area still has some way to go when it comes to protecting girls against cervical cancer and ensuring all eligible girls get all three doses of the HPV vaccine.”

“We urge all 12 – 18 year old girls to protect themselves by having the HPV vaccine, which has an excellent safety record. For the best protection, girls need to have all three doses. If you or your daughter is between the ages of 12 – 18 and has missed out on the vaccine, or still needs to complete all three doses, please contact your school nurse or GP.”

A routine immunisation programme for HPV started on 1 September 2008 for 12- to 13-year-old-girls. A phased catch-up of girls aged up to 18 years of age was also implemented. In England, 17- to 18-year-old young women were offered the vaccine during the 2008-09 academic year and 14-18 year old girls and young women are offered the vaccine during the 2009-10 academic year.