Guyana’s Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony says the low adoption rate of HPV vaccines in Guyana has become a cause for concern even as cervical cancer is the second most common cancer affecting women in the country.
Guyanese Health authorities said that the vaccines serve as a vital safeguard against HPV infections and cervical pre-cancers.
Speaking at the launch of Guyana’s national expansion of the HEARTS Initiative for the management of cardiovascular diseases, Anthony noted that since the introduction of the programme in Guyana, the number of persons who are vaccinated remains at a minimum.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, all HPV vaccines protect against at least HPV types 16 and 18, which places individuals at the greatest risk of developing cervical cancer.
HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can cause a range of health issues, including genital warts and cancer.
