Cost of cervical cancer vaccinations must come down in SA

Dance for a Cure (DFAC), which came into existence in 2007 to raise funds to fight cervical cancer, educate the public about the disease and save lives is making an urgent call to reduce the high cost of cervical cancer vaccinations in South Africa. According to its founder, Angela Ferguson, its primary purpose is to create an awareness of the disease and to fund vaccination drives among under-privileged young girls.

"All funds raised by DFAC go towards purchasing the vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes most HPV-related diseases in males and females. Up to 80% of sexually active women will acquire a HPV infection in their lifetime, with the risk of recurring HPV infections increasing with age," says Ferguson.

DFAC could vaccinate many more young girls if the vaccine was more affordable, accessible and if a larger number of South Africans donated to this worthy cause. As it is, the organisation in recent years has been forced to step up its fund raising efforts to fund the high cost of purchasing the vaccine.

"In 2007 when DFAC started, it only had to host one fund-raising drive per year to reach its target - now it hosts three events every year.

"It is shocking but true that cervical cancer is one of the most low profile diseases and yet it is the biggest cancer killer of South African women. However, the introduction of a Nobel prize-winning vaccination that can prevent cervical cancer a few years ago has given girls and women all over the world the chance to keep this devastating disease at bay."

Part of international immunisation programmes

Research by the Health Economic Unit at the University of Cape Town to establish the cost-effectiveness of a national HPV vaccination programme found that it would cost the country R3295 to vaccinate each girl. "This is prohibitively expensive," says Ferguson. "By manufacturers reducing the cost of the vaccination, more women would have access to it. This in turn would lower the long-term costs associated with women contracting cervical cancer - not only for themselves but for the State and medical aids as well. The cost of diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer can range from R24 997 (stage one) to R55 997 (stage four) per woman."

So real is the threat of this disease that as many as 50 countries including the UK and the Netherlands have now incorporated HPV vaccination as part of their national vaccination programmes. In Uganda, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world is funding a pilot project to vaccinate girls against cervical cancer.

Children's homes to be vaccinated

There are currently two vaccinations on the market. The vaccinations are 100% effective against persistent infection but it is best to be vaccinated before reaching womanhood.

In order for the vaccine to be effective, three vaccines need to be administered, the second being one month after the first and the third being six months after the second. Due to this added complexity, DFAC focuses on closed environments to ensure that it can monitor those who receive vaccinations and ensure that all three vaccines are administered, to this end it has chosen the Abraham Kriel Home, The Johannesburg Children's Home, The Durban Children's Home, St Philomena's Children's home and The Wylie Youth Centre for its drives. Its goal is to vaccinate all of the children at these homes.

For more information, go to www.danceforacure.co.za.