Nakuru County targets 43,000 girls with HPV vaccine

Nakuru County is targeting 43,000 girls aged 10 years for the HPV vaccine.

The county Health CEC Dr. Gichuki Kariuki reiterated the importance of the HPV vaccine towards preventing cervical cancer.

He called on all parents and school heads to cooperate with the health officials during the exercise.

The CEC however hit out at a section of religious leaders who have been opposing the vaccine based on their beliefs.

According to him, matters health should not be compromised with anyone’s religious beliefs.

Nakuru County Chief Officer for Public Health Dr. Samuel King’ori echoed the sentiments citing statistics of 14 million women affected every year globally.

King’ori further noted that the second round of the vaccine will be administered in April 2020.

Nakuru County Chief Nursing Officer Virginia Njenga however noted that as health officials they will not be able to reach all the school girls since schools are almost closing for the third term.

She said the onus is on parents to take their 10-year-old girls to health facilities across the county where the vaccine will be administered.

During the launch of the vaccine in Mombasa last Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta told religious leaders not to politicize the move.

The President said that cancer does not discriminate based on religion.