Confused about the government’s new programme to offer the human papilloma virus vaccination to all Secondary 1 girls? Eveline Gan finds out what it’s about and whether you should opt in.
Since April this year, 13-year-old girls in national schools have had free vaccinations against the human papilloma virus, or HPV.
The opt-in vaccination, which is done in school, will be offered to all girls attending Secondary 1, or the equivalent. Girls currently in Secondary 2 to 5 will also be eligible for the vaccination as a one-time catch-up measure.
Experts say the vaccine can protect against cervical cancer, a preventable disease and one of the top women’s cancers here. Almost 200 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed yearly in Singapore.
Still, some parents have expressed concerns about vaccinating their daughters, such as its potential side effects and safety. Here, Dr Joseph Ng, president of the Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology of Singapore, shares more on HPV infections and how the vaccination works.
What is HPV?
The virus is typically transmitted through sexual activity, and rarely, during delivery from an infected mum to her baby. By the age of 50, four in five women will have been infected with this virus during their lives.
HPV and cervical cancer – what’s the link?
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