Tanzania plans vaccination against pelvic cancer to 14-yr-girls

Dodoma. The government is planning to put all 14-year old girls under vaccination in efforts to protect them against pelvic cancer.

According to 2012 statistics by the World Health Organisation (WHO), over 80 per cent of women suffering from pelvic cancer can be found in developing countries.

Data show that Tanzania records 50.9 new cases in every 100,000 women and that at least 37.5 die annually in every 100,000 women.

Speaking during a screening session aimed at diagnosing symptoms of pelvic and breast cancers on Tuesday, January 23, deputy minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dr Faustine Ndugulile, said the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) received 1,934 pelvic cancer patients in 2016, noting that numbers were on the increase.

“The government has decided to take preventive measures after knowing the actual magnitude of the disease by starting vaccinating girls this year. We will start with 14-year-old girls in the first year,” he said.

According to the government, vaccination strategy will help in containing the problem in future.

Mr Ndungulile said the government will then do the same to girls aged between 9 and 14 during the second year of implementing the programme, whereby at least 616,734 girls are being targeted.

For his part, Dodoma Regional Commissioner Binilith Mahenge said his region has eight health centres for offering the screening services, expressing his optimisms that stakeholders will widen the service.

“I call upon Dodoma residents and the women to use services provided for individual benefits and the benefit of the country,” he said.