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In efforts to ramp up the fight against Covid-19, the government has accelerated its vaccine rollout campaign in schools to achieve its target of vaccinating at least 30 million people by December.

The new effort has also incorporated vaccination of girls aged between 10 and 14 years against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

In a memo sent to County Education Directors by Education Principal Secretary Julius Ojwan on June 13, Directors of Education were asked to help the ministry implement immunisation against cervical cancer which it hopes to have achieved by December.

In the plan, the government hopes to vaccinate girls aged ten (10) to 14 years by introducing the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

“To ensure the success of these important activities, you are asked to support the Ministry of Health in the implementation of this activity,” Ojwan told education directors.

To avert legal fights between the government and parents, the education directors were also mandated to ensure all parents consent to the immunisation before their children are inoculated.

“You are, therefore, required to cascade down this information to all schools under your jurisdiction. You are also required to advise headteachers to ensure parental consent is obtained for a successful roll-out of the vaccine,” the added.

According to experts, the HPV vaccine is effective against most HPV strains, which account for more than 70 per cent of cervical cancer cases.