The immunisation programme of young women to give protection against the cervical cancer causing virus HPV (human papillomavirus), will start in schools early March.
The majority of young West Coast women are lucky enough to have a school based programme, for the Gardasil vaccination. The free vaccine is available at all local West Coast medical centres also, but the bulk of the programme will be given by local public and rural nurse specialists at school. This will provide a supportive and professional environment for the vaccination which has to be given in 3 doses over a period of six months.
In Canterbury, all young women will have to visit their General Practice to receive the immunisation. This procedure, which has also been featured in a number of West Coast media, is an exception to the national HPV immunisation strategy and is not the situation on the West Coast.
All young women aged between 12 years and 18 years should receive the free Gardasil vaccination which will protect against all four strains of the HPV virus. Those young women who are not sexually active will receive the greatest protection from the vaccination as they will not have been in contact with the virus. Young women who are already sexually active should receive the vaccination as they may not have been in contact with any or all of the HPV strains.
For more information please contact
Bryan Jamieson
Community Liaison Officer
West Coast DHB
PO Box 387
Greymouth 7840
Phone (DDI): (03) 769-7665
Mobile: 027 245-9595
Email: