School immunisation begins fight against cervical cancer
Jim McGinty, Minster for Health
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More than 90,000 Western Australian school girls aged between 12 and 18 will be offered a free vaccine to reduce the risk of cervical cancer, under a massive school immunisation program run by the Department of Health.
"About 90 WA women develop cervical cancer each year, with the disease killing approximately 30 women annually," Mr McGinty said.
"This vaccine is expected to prevent about 70 per cent of these cervical cancer cases.
"All public and private high schools have started sending out vaccination consent letters to the parents of girls in Years 10,11 and 12 and the vaccination program will start in late April."
"I urge parents to sign and return consent forms so that their daughters can take advantage of the free vaccinations which will start when school returns after the forthcoming holidays."
"About 750 women nationally are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, 180 women are hospitalised and 250 die from the disease annually."
Next year, the vaccinations will be offered to girls in Years seven to 10.
The multi-million dollar cervical cancer immunisation program is a joint initiative between the State and Federal Governments under the National Immunisation Program - the vaccine alone will cost $52million.
The immunisation program is the largest school-based vaccination program ever undertaken by the Department of Health.
The vaccine will be administered as a series of three injections over a period of four to six months
Women aged 18-26 and teenage girls who miss out on receiving their vaccination at school will be able to access free vaccinations from July this year to June 2009 through their GP or at local immunisation clinics.
Department of Health Program co-ordinator Dr Tania Wallace said the cervical cancer vaccine was most effective if it was given to females before they were sexually active.
"This is a safe and effective vaccine but it does not protect against all cervical cancer and a regular Pap smear every two years, or as recommended by your doctor, is still essential to further protect against the disease," Dr Wallace said.
The initial cervical cancer vaccination program will run until June 2009, after which there will be an ongoing school-based immunisation program for 12 and 13-year-old girls.
For more information about the cervical cancer vaccination program, visit the department's websites at www.health.wa.gov.au/immunisation and www.immunise.health.gov.au
You can also phone 9321 1312 or the National Immunisation Infoline on 1800 671 811.
More information on the battle against cancer at www.CancerCentral.com.au
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