Health Ministry and UNICEF Unite for Vaccination Week Observance ● HPV Campaign to be Launched

The Ministry of Health and Wellness and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are collaborating to observe Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) from April 26 to May 3, which coincides with World Immunization Week.

Aligned with the theme “Immunization for All is Humanly Possible,” this year’s emphasis is on the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, recognizing that cervical cancer, which affects women globally as the fourth most common cancer, is almost exclusively caused by HPV.

In 2022, around 350,000 women died from cervical cancer and about 660,000 new cases arose. These preventable deaths and infections have tragic and long-felt impacts on children, families and communities.

HPV Chatbot
“To save lives and eliminate cervical cancer, UNICEF is helping to raise awareness of HPV and its vaccine among adolescents and young people through a new HPV Chatbot on its global U-Report platform,” said UNICEF Jamaica Representative, Olga Isaza.

Young people only need to send the words ‘HPV Chat’ to the U-Report number 876-838-4897 to access engaging content about the virus and the vaccine.

They will learn about the risks of HPV and prevention methods.

The Chatbot is like talking with a friend because of its conversational style and it makes learning easy and enjoyable. It was shaped by a group of young people who contributed to the narrative, characters, and style.

The Ministry and UNICEF will officially launch the HPV Chatbot at the HIV Adolescent Health Fair on Wednesday April 30 in Morant Bay at the Rudolph Elder Park and students from High Schools are expected to attend.

“This year’s observance will feature a wide range of activities designed to reach the public at every level. Key national events include Church Services, Launch of the HPV Chatbot, HPV Vaccination Webinars and more than 130 vaccination sessions and other promotional activities in collaboration with the Region Health Authorities. The Ministry encourages the public to participate in these activities, learn more about the vaccines available, and take proactive steps to protect your health, and that of your family”, noted Minister of Health & Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton.

Vaccination Week is observed to bring awareness to the fact that millions of children die every year from illnesses that are preventable and treatable. New and reemerging diseases like mpox, polio and measles are threatening the lives of children around the world.