Duane Petrus – Grade four girls at a Bloemfontein school were today the first in the country to be vaccinated in the government’s national Human Papillomavirus campaign.
Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, says out of the 6 000 females affected by cervical cancer annually, 3 500 die of the disease, which is caused by HPV.
He says all sexually active females will at one time in their life be exposed to HPV.
He added that South Africa is the first country on the continent to target so many 9-year-old girls, close to 500 000.
President Jacob Zuma’s wife Thobeka Madiba Zuma, said this will ensure future generations of females will be safe from cervical cancer.
The campaign was launched at the Gonyane Primary School.
Date:
