KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN) today commended the Ministry of Health on its initiative aimed at providing the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to grade seven girls.

“We believe that this is a progressive move in recognising and fulfilling the sexual and reproductive health of adolescent girls. The introduction of this vaccine is a proactive measure in tackling cervical cancer which has been recognized as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Jamaica and the ninth leading cause of death worldwide,” the group stated in a release today.

The JYAN said it is ‘critical’ to account for the health and well being of Jamaican girls from the earliest practical age.

Despite reservations and fears from the public surrounding the possible side effects of the vaccine, the youth advocacy group pointed out that more than 200 million doses have been administered to women and girls worldwide without any reports of significant side effects.

Based on this statistic and the potential danger of HPV, especially in relation to cervical cancer, JYAN urged parents to act in the best interest of their daughters and encourage the vaccination process.

At the same time, JYAN is encouraging the Ministry of Health to ensure that the process is transparent and that information is readily available and easily accessible to parents and students alike.

“The ministry has a responsibility to respect and protect the rights of our girls by ensuring that they understand the importance of the vaccine and that they appreciate any potential risks,” stated JYAN.

JYAN said it remains committed to promoting initiatives that enhance the rights of our adolescents including our adolescent girls.

“Kudos to the Ministry for their proactive and innovative approach to sexual and reproductive health issues.”