Zambia battles HPV vaccine cynicism

 

GIRLS in primary schools between ages nine and 13 have been targeted for the HPV vaccine

By DOREEN NAWA
FROM the time it arrived in Zambia in February this year, the approved Human Papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine has been embroiled in a medical, social, cultural, and political controversy.
This controversy has once again been revived in the recent debates. Parents are accusing Government of bringing in a vaccine that is completely new to Zambia and other African countries.
“We need proper explanation as to why our children should be vaccinated. We need to decide for our children because schoolchildren are below consent age. We need some explanation about this cervical cancer national project, otherwise we are not comfortable with whatever government is trying to do,” says Gabriel Chitema of Lusaka’s Kamanga area.
According to Mr Chitema, vaccination of children is one of the most controversial topics in African societies.
Although the vast majority of the conventional medical community believe they (vaccines) are an example of “preventive medicine”, there is a growing number of people who strongly disagree.
In Zambia, one vaccine that people are sceptical about is the HPV vaccine. There has been a lot of heated debate about the safety and effectiveness of this particular vaccine.
“It is important that the people that will be tasked to go round and administer the vaccine should come with proof. showing us where it has worked.
“Generally, vaccines or drugs are never safe at all. That is why it is advised that before you take any drug or accept to be vaccinated, you must be well informed about the drug you are taking,” says Mr Chitema.
Normally, users of drugs are warned about using drugs they do not know. The warning: ‘be informed before taking any drug’ is the reason why some residents in Lusaka’s Kamanga township are not comfortable to have their children vaccinated against cervical cancer.

But Mr Chitema’s views are different from Asled Phiri of the same area. According to Ms Phiri, the vaccine is timely following empirical evidence that children are becoming sexually active at an early age.
“A child will not tell you that she is sexually active for fear of being beaten. So I think the best is to give them this vaccine. Besides, the earlier the better, because prevention is better than cure.
“I would feel safe if my child is vaccinated from home rather than in school because this is a new vaccine, which has not been tried and tested here in Zambia,” says Ms Phiri. Children like Glenda Phiri, 9 (in the picture) might not receive the vaccine if not carefully educating her mother, Asled Phiri.
A total of 50,000 young girls are expected to be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine during the cervical cancer national pilot project launched early this year.
The three districts to benefit from this programme are Lusaka, Chongwe and Kafue in a bid to prevent cervical cancer, which is a leading cause of death among women in Zambia. The idea for targeting girls aged between nine and 13 is to capture young girls who are not yet exposed to HPV infection.
Health professionals have been tasked to carry out the vaccination campaign by visiting primary schools and communities, and they are targeting 25,000 this year and another 25,000 next year.
For children who are not in school, the target is girls aged between 10 and 13.
During this campaign, medical personnel will also give talks to help curb superstitions and other reasons given by those who shun life-saving vaccinations.
Some people avoid taking their children for vaccination because they believe that vaccines have a negative effect in the long-term future, while others shun vaccines on religious and traditional beliefs, among others.
But Deputy Minister of Health Patrick Chikusu has one assurance: “It is not possible for Government to bring vaccines in the country which have no proven safety. I wish to assure the nation that Human Papillomavirus vaccines against cervical cancer have been tried and tested in developed countries.”
“The vaccines are important as they will help prevent deaths of women in Zambia. The rate at which cervical cancer is claiming lives of women is alarming,” says Dr Chikusu.
Globally, cervical cancer claims more lives of women than malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined.
If detected early, cervical cancer is treatable and curable. It is for this reason that screening for cervical cancer is important for all women, especially women living with HIV, who stand a better chance if they are screened regularly as any abnormalities will be detected and treated on time.
According to experts, young girls are susceptible to HPV, which can cause cervical cancer in later life.
Drastic changes have occurred over the years. Cervical cancer was not a common word in the medical circles. But today hundreds of women suffer from cervical cancer; many of them have died and others are in their sickbeds.
But over the years a vaccine meant to reduce the number of deaths and prevent this deadly disease has been discovered.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the HPV vaccine is a vaccine that has the potential to prevent certain HPV infections, and hence reduces the incidence of cervical cancer and other genital cancers.
But since February this year when the vaccine arrived in the country, the exercise has not commenced because of the controversy surrounding the whole process, yet Zambia is ranked with the highest cervical cancer mortality rate.
Civil society organisations are also sceptical about the vaccine and the inadequate time given for debate over the same vaccine.
“I agree that women movements and other civil society organisations have been quiet about the programme. We were waiting for Government to explain the benefits and side effects of the vaccine before we could start sensitising women and children. Now that we have been assured about its safety, very soon we will go to our constitutions to educate women and girls,” Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) chairperson Beatrice Grillo says.
According to Ms Grillo, it is important that the Ministry of Health prints fliers for NGO`s and other organisations which will be distributed in communities during the sensitisation programme.
It is everyone’s wish that the HPV vaccine can be implemented and sensitisation must be carried out to ensure that communities have adequate information.