Gulu is to embark on mass immunization against Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) to protect young girls against cancer of the cervix.
Rose Okilangole, the Assistant District Health Inspector said on Friday last week that exercise will kick-off in April and will run for a month.
Okilangole said girls who are in school will be targeted in order to protect them from cervical cancer once they become of age.
According to Okilangole, girls particularly age 10 will receive the jab. She encouraged parents not to miss out on the opportunity of having their children immunized.
She also noted that cancer of the cervix remains a big challenge with many women dying from the disease.
In the last three years, at least 10,000 girls have received the vaccine to boost their immunity against Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV).
The Health Minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng noted that providing HPV vaccine to all girls nationwide within the age of 9-13 years is a recommendation from the World Health Programme(WHO). The government of Uganda first began the vaccination 10 years ago, according to Dr Aceng.
Worldwide, cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer in women. More than 85 percent of the cases occur in less developed regions.
