Press Releases
Free cervical cancer vaccination for teenage girls from low-income families (with photo)
The following is issued on behalf of the Community Care Fund
Secretariat:
The Community Care Fund (CCF) will launch a three-year pilot
scheme on October 3 to provide free cervical cancer
vaccination for teenage girls from eligible low-income
families.
The Chairperson of the CCF Task Force under the Commission
on Poverty, Dr Law Chi-kwong, said at a press briefing today
(September 23), "The total provision of the Free Cervical
Cancer Vaccination Pilot Scheme launched by the CCF is about
$98.75 million. It is expected to benefit about 31 000
girls. Eligible beneficiaries are girls aged 9 to 18 who
receive Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, and female
students aged 9 or above who receive full grant under the
School Textbook Assistance Scheme.
"The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (FPAHK) has
been commissioned as the implementing agent of the pilot
scheme. Apart from providing vaccination for eligible
teenage girls at its Youth Health Care Centres, the FPAHK
will also undertake publicity and education work to enhance
understanding among parents and teenage girls about cervical
cancer and its prevention, and encourage parents to seek
early cervical cancer vaccination to protect the health of
their daughters," Dr Law said.
The Executive Director of the FPAHK, Dr Susan Fan, said, "We
will provide eligible applicants with free vaccination and
related services at our three Youth Health Care Centres in
Wan Chai, Mong Kok and Kwai Fong. They may call these
centres for registration and booking of first appointment.
Applicants aged 18 or above must bring along documentary
proof in person to process the application and receive the
first dose of vaccine at the first appointment. Applicants
under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or legal
guardian at their first appointment."
Cervical cancer is a common female cancer caused by certain
types of human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV infection can be
prevented by vaccination, which is recommended for girls
starting from the age of 9. When girls get vaccinated at a
younger age, their body produces a higher level of
antibodies. The protection is also greater when the vaccine
is received before the start of sexual activity.
The publicity leaflet of the pilot scheme will be
distributed at the Youth Health Care Centres, Women's Clubs
and clinics of the FPAHK, Social Security Field Units of the
Social Welfare Department and the clinics and health centres
under the Department of Health from October 3 onwards. The
eligibility, application procedures, publicity video and
other details of the pilot scheme are available at CCF
website (www.communitycarefund.hk)
and the FPAHK website (www.famplan.org.hk/ccfvaccine).
For enquiries, please call the pilot scheme hotline at 2919 7878 or email ccfvaccine@famplan.org.hk.
Ends/Friday, September 23, 2016
Issued at HKT 17:56
NNNN
