Westmoreland Health Officer Urges Parents to Approve HPV Vaccine for Children

Parents across Westmoreland are being asked to have their children, particularly those between the ages of nine and 14, immunised against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which health authorities say can shield young people from a range of cancers and other illnesses as they grow older.

The call came from the parish's Medical Officer of Health, Dr Marcia Graham, who spoke during a recent monthly sitting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation.

“One dose can protect against future cervical cancer, genital warts, and even cancer of the genital area. So we want us to take care of our children and make sure we give them the opportunity to be protected against future cancer and other diseases,” she urged.

Health officials advise that the HPV vaccine works best when given to children before they come into contact with the virus, and it is widely regarded as among the strongest tools available for warding off cervical cancer and several other HPV-linked cancers.

Dr Graham also pointed parents toward this year's summer school medical checks as a chance to confirm that their children's immunisations are current.

“Summer means [back to] school medicals. We congratulate all the students who graduated. Some are going from primary to high school, others are going from basic to primary school, and as we do the medicals, we are encouraging everyone to make sure that you bring in the child's immunisation card, so that we can ensure that they are adequately protected against vaccine-preventable diseases,” she said.

She appealed to families to treat their children's wellbeing as a top concern over the summer holidays by keeping the scheduled medical appointments and making certain every recommended vaccine is administered before the new school term begins.