More girls to receive cancer jab

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A campaign to offer cervical cancer vaccinations to schoolgirls and young women in Wales is to be extended.

The assembly government is spending £9m to speed up the planned two-year campaign to make sure an extra 40,000 are offered immunisation.

A routine vaccination programme against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for 12-to-13-year-olds was launched last year.

Health Minister Edwina Hart said she was delighted about the success so far but cancer screening was still needed.

The jab protects against two viruses responsible for about 70% of cases of cervical cancer. Wales has around 170 cases a year.

In a statement, the assembly government said nearly 90% of 12-to-13-year-olds have had their first cervical cancer vaccination, and about 75% have had their second.

I would like Wales to press ahead by undertaking the catch-up campaign more quickly than planned Health Minister Edwina Hart

Those figures will rise as more uptake results are reported, it said.

All girls and young women in Wales born between 1 September 1991 and 31 August 1995 will be targeted in the extended campaign.

Guidance will be issued to the NHS in the coming weeks so that they can undertake the planning necessary to implement the catch-up campaign from this September.

Ms Hart said: "I am delighted with the success of the new routine vaccination programme and thank all those involved including the girls themselves, their parents, and health professionals for helping us reduce the risk of these girls developing cervical cancer later in life.

She added; "HPV vaccination is a very significant public health development and I would like Wales to press ahead by undertaking the catch-up campaign more quickly than planned."

Screening

She said she recognised that extra efforts will be needed but she was confident that local health professionals "will rise to the challenge".

Women in Wales aged 20 and 64 are given routine cervical cancer screening (smear tests) every three years.

"We must remember that vaccination will not protect against all HPV infections so it is important that everyone attends cervical cancer screening when they called," the minister said.

The assembly government has already funded an advertising campaign to run from September to publicise the introduction of the campaign. Leaflets and other materials will be distributed to schools and other establishments.