All of Malta’s 12-year-old girls will be offered the chance to be protected against cervical cancer as part of a national vaccination campaign rolled out yesterday.
This is an important step forward
The costly vaccine, which will be administered for free, targets two strands of human papilloma virus (HPV) believed to be the major cause of cervical cancer in women.
“The vaccine is being given to pre-teens, before they become sexually active,” health chief medical officer Natasha Azzopardi Muscat said.
Recommended by the World Health Organisation, it comes in three doses and will cost the government at least €250,000 a year. Health Minister Joe Cassar announced that parents of about 2,000 girls born in the year 2000 will start to receive requests to take their daughters to health centres for the injection from October.
“Parents are encouraged to vaccinate their children as otherwise this will reduce the overall effectiveness of the vaccination programme,” Dr Azzopardi Muscat said.
The vaccine is being given at health centres, not schools, she said, adding: “We felt that in this case the presence of a parent would be better for any queries they might have about the vaccine.”
There is no evidence yet as to how long the protection will last beyond five years from inoculation, so it was possible that booster injections may be needed, she explained.
Only minor side effects, such as redness at the site of injection, have been reported with the HPV vaccinations. There are two vaccines on the market – Gardasil, which protects against four types of HPV, and Ceravix that protects against two – but a ministry spokesman could not confirm which one will be made available.
Women should still get regular Pap smear screening after vaccination, said healthcare director general Ray Busuttil, as the vaccine only covered some high-risk types of HPV.
The incidence of cervical cancer in Malta is 12 per year, with a 50 per cent mortality rate. This is low compared to most EU countries. Worldwide, there are an estimated 529,000 new cases of cervical cancer and 275,000 deaths per year.
“This is part of the national cancer plan and national sexual health strategy. It is an important step forward,” Dr Cassar said.
During the press conference it was also announced that the new genitourinary clinic at Mater Dei Hospital – which was supposed to open in January – will be opening in a few weeks’ time after staff issues were sorted out.
The facts on HPV
What is HPV?
HPV (human papilloma virus) is a common virus that can cause cervical cancer. It is spread through sexual contact.
How common is HPV?
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. At least 50 per cent of sexually active people will get it at some time in their lives.
How effective is the vaccination?
Global research is still underway. The HPV vaccination programme was introduced in Australia for all women aged 12 to 26 between 2007 and 2009. Researchers found that among girls under 18, incidences of high-grade cervical abnormalities fell by a statistically significant 0.38 per cent.