AfricaPress-Tanzania: ASSISTANT Director of Reproductive and Child Health Services Programme in the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dr Ahmad Makuwani, said the government was committed to getting rid of cervical cancer.
Opening an awareness seminar for journalists on the importance of vaccination yesterday, Dr Makuwani said to make it work as planned in 2018 the government introduced vaccination to girls aged 14 years.
Moreover, he said they had opened cancer testing centres countrywide for early detection and treatment of those who would be tested positive.
He said there were 620 cancer testing health centres countrywide located in all corners for easy access. “We want a cervical cancer free generation that is why we have a number of awareness campaigns for testing so that whatever the results one starts early treatment,” he insisted.
He stressed a need for women to go for cancer screening since it was good to know their health status and seek medical advice.
During a presentation, National Vaccination Programme Project Officer, Lotalis Gaday noted that there was a need for parents and guardians to take children for vaccination since Covid-19 infections had gone down.
“January to April the national coverage of vaccination has almost stopped as people fear to be exposed to coronavirus, but the downward trend means they should take children to clinics for vaccination,” she said.
She attributed the downward trend to school shut down especially for cervical vaccination to girls aged 14 years. She insisted that all those concerned should ensure they completed their vaccination schedules.
