Garissa County is seeking to vaccinate 33,885 girls aged 10 years and below against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

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County Health Executive Committee Member (CEC) Ahmed Nathir reiterated the importance of the HPV vaccine saying it prevents cervical cancer.

Nathir who was speaking at Garissa primary school playgrounds during the launch of the drive on Thursday said the vaccine will be given for free to girls and will be administered in two doses, six months apart.

He said that the vaccine which will be offered alongside other routine infant vaccines will be given for free across all health facilities including refugee camps.

“The jab costs Sh8,000 in private hospitals but we are giving it for free. We are targeting 10-year-old girls on the presumption that they are not yet sexually active and puberty is setting in,” said Nathir as quoted by KNA.

The health executive urged parents to cooperate with the health officials during the exercise and to ignore rumours being spread about the vaccine.

“There has been a lot of misinformation about this vaccine. Do not listen to the misinformation out there. This will save our girls from cancer. 

One myth is that it encourages girls to have sex. Some people say that vaccines, in general, can cause sterility. Neither is true,” he said.

Nathir assured locals that the vaccine is safe and has been used in the country for years adding that cervical cancer has been identified as one of the leading causes of death among women in Kenya.

HPV which is a viral infection can be passed through sexual contact and the vaccine should be administered to girls or women before they are exposed to the virus.