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Published on: March 8, 2012
Performance of the school-based human papillomavirus vaccine uptake in Tshwane, South Africa
Tladi D Ledibane1, Neo R Ledibane2, Moliehi Matlala3
1Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Medicine, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa.
Background:
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is an effective preventive measure against HPV infection and HPV-associated cervical cancer. South Africa introduced its HPV vaccination programme in 2014.
Objectives:
The authors assessed the uptake of HPV vaccine in the school-based HPV vaccination programme in Tshwane Health District for the year 2019 and compared the vaccine uptake (VU) between fee-paying and no-fee public schools.
Method:
The study method was cross-sectional, using routine electronic health records of the HPV vaccination programme. The study population included all Grade 4 school-girls between the ages of 9 and 14 years who attended public schools in 2019 in the Tshwane Health District.
Results:
The pooled VU for the Tshwane Health District was 72.0%, considerably lower than the target of 80.0%. The number of girls who received dose one and dose two in 2019 was 16 122 (73.0%) and 15 734 (71.0%), respectively, excluding the catch-up figures. In addition, 82.2% of fee-paying schools achieved VU of above 80% versus 65.5% of no-fee schools (p = 0.022).
Conclusion:
The lower than target levels of VU for HPV among girls in Tshwane Health District, particularly in those attending no-fee schools, is concerning. Interventions should be adopted to optimise programme performance so as to achieve the target VU of 80%.
Contribution:
This study showed the need to strengthen sensitisation and social mobilisation efforts, particularly among no-fee schools to improve the VU.
