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Arm yourself to cut cancer threat
PARENTS are being urged to 'arm' their daughters in the fight against cervical cancer.
This is European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, and to mark the event, health bosses are promoting a vaccine protecting against the illness.
South Tyneside Primary Care Trust is working with the borough's education authority and schools to offer every girl in the borough aged 12 or 13 the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
The jab protects against the two strains of the virus that cause 70 per cent of cases of cervical cancer.
Since a national programme started in 2008 to protect girls against HPV, school nurses in the borough have given the vaccination to 772 girls aged 12 and 13 – a take-up rate of 85 per cent.
Health chiefs are now spreading the net wider and encouraging all girls and young women aged 13 to 18 missed by the programme so far to ask their GPs for the vaccine.
Dr Faisal Al Durrah, consultant in public medicine at NHS South of Tyne and Wear, said: "Although it is highly unlikely that the girls are at risk at the age when we are giving them the vaccine, it is important they get this protection now to protect them in the future.
"It is estimated that the vaccine will save 400 lives in the UK every year, and I would urge every young woman who is offered the vaccine to take it."
The awareness week, running until Saturday, is organised by the European Cervical Cancer Association. It's an annual event now in its fourth year.
It says the disease is unique because it is already known what needs to be done to prevent almost every single case by using screening and vaccination programmes.
The association is aiming to educate politicians and public health officials about the benefits of organised cervical cancer prevention programmes.
It is also seeking to raise awareness among women so they know how to avoid the disease.
For more information about the HPV vaccine, go to www.immunisation.nhs.uk/vaccines/hpv
paul.clifford@northeast-press.co.uk
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Weather for South Shields
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
