Cervical Cancer Vaccine Trial Project Starts (?) in Uganda
Uganda is one among a few developing countries lined up to benefit from the first cervical cancer vaccine trial project to be implemented by the Programme for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH).
PATH is a non governmental organisation hoping to come up with a cervical cancer vaccine by year 2010.
Young women in India, Peru, Uganda, and Vietnam will become the first in the developing world to live without fear of cervical cancer-as PATH and our partners begin pilot introduction of new vaccines for the disease,” reads a statement on the organisation’s website.
In 2005, cancer killed approximately 14,000 people in Uganda. 8,000 of those were under the age of 70.
Of the various cancers, cervical cancer remains the most common cancer killing women in Uganda according to the World Health Organisation.
Developing countries lack resources and women miss out on lifesaving screening and treatment because such facilities are not available to women, according to PATH.
Hmm…why can’t just pharma giants bring U.S.-approved vaccines to developing countries — instead of NGO’s taking the lead to do just that? But then again, it is good that NGOs like PATH take the initiative to stop cervical cancer vaccine in less-fortunate countries of the world.
What do you think?
Source: allAfrica.com
Also, you can read more about PATH’s Global Call to Stop Cervical Cancer.
Tags: cervical-cancer, cervical-cancer-vaccine, Global Call to Stop Cervical Cancer, Programme for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH)Related Stories
POSTED IN: on anti-cancer ingredients, on cervical cancer
3 opinions for Cervical Cancer Vaccine Trial Project Starts (?) in Uganda
Scott Wittet
Feb 8, 2008 at 6:16 am
Thank you, Gloria, for your interest in PATH’s cervical cancer vaccine project in Uganda. You are correct to say that cervical cancer is a terrible problem globally, and especially in Africa.
I would like to make a small clarification: PATH is not seeking to develop a cervical cancer vaccine—we are working with vaccines already on the market. Our projects in Uganda and other countries seek to investigate how best to reach girls with HPV vaccine—girls who do not normally receive health services except in case of emergency. For example, we will test whether it will be effective to reach them in schools; and we also will look into how to reach girls no longer going to school.
The vaccine we use will have been licensed by Ugandan regulatory authorities. It is the same vaccine now being used in the Europe and other parts of the world and it will be available in the private market in Uganda by the time our vaccination project begins later this year.
Like you, we look forward to the day when every girl in Uganda, in Africa, and in the world, can be protected against cervical cancer—not only those whose families can afford to visit a private physician. And we hope that before long older women will have increased access to life-saving cervical cancer screening as well.
Thanks again for your interest in this important and timely issue.
Your readers can learn more about the PATH project by downloading this short article: http://www.rho.org/files/PATH_CC_vaccine_project_fact_sheet_update_Dec_07.pdf.
Scott Wittet
PATH Cervical Cancer Prevention Programs
jasper Bakyayita
Feb 8, 2008 at 7:53 am
We are glad for this opportunity in Uganda.My mother lost one of the breasts to cancer.She got radio and chemotherapy for years.She was okay and able to regain her energy.Afew years ago she was diagonised with cervical cancer,then she had battled the drugs effects in her body.It a long story.
Gloria
Feb 8, 2008 at 8:14 am
thanks Scott for the clarification. i really appreciate that. :-D
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