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HPV Vaccine Campaign Expands to Include Meningococcal protection for Students
HPV vaccineโค coverageโค remains a concern for public health officials.โ While the HPV vaccine (Gardasil) prevents 90% of infections, only 48% of girls and 24.5% of โboys aged 16 completedโ the two-dose seriesโค in 2024. This falls โฃshort of the national goal ofโ 80% coverage by โ2030. To improve access,a free,optional HPV vaccination โprogramโค was launched in September 2023 for students in the fifth grade.
Building on this success, public health authorities are extending the vaccination program to includeโค protection against invasive Meningococcal Acwy โinfections. A recent โฃincrease inโ these infectionsโ prompted the Ministry of Health to recommend โACWY meningococcal vaccination forโ all adolescents aged 11-14, with a catch-up โoption available up to โage 24. this vaccine will โขnow be offered alongside HPV vaccination to fifth-grade students. A single dose provides effective and long-lasting protection.
Vaccination sessions in fifth-grade classrooms will take place between January and โJune. HPV vaccination will be administered over twoโข school years,with a maximum of 13 months between โฃthe firstโข dose (given in fifth grade) and the second dose (given in sixth grade). Studentsโฃ who have received thier first dose elsewhere can receive the second doseโฃ at school. โThe single-dose ACWY meningococcal vaccine can be offered during โฃeither of these two years.Co-management of both vaccines โduring โthe sameโข session is possible.Parental consent is required for โparticipation.
Theseโ vaccinations are free and covered by health โinsurance,โ administered by mobile vaccination teams.โฃ The campaigns โpromoting โvaccination are expected to increase demand for vaccinations inโฃ general, includingโ at pharmacies. Initial results suggest the school-based HPV vaccination program is encouraging,โ leading to an overall โincrease in vaccination ratesโข amongโ 11-12 year olds, nonetheless of where the vaccination is administered. Public health officials also believe thisโ initiative will improve vaccination rates for other recommended vaccines โคin thisโ age group, such as measles-mumps-rubella, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, and hepatitis B.