Participation in the HPV immunization in-school program is at just over 50 percent of the girls in the target age group.

Dr. Johnmark Opondo is the Saskatoon Health Region's Deputy Medical Health Officer and he says 2 thousand 7 hundred 28 girls were given the first round of the three dose vaccine.

Dr. Opondo believes participation in the vaccination program will increase as long as the vaccine continues to perform favourably and achieve its objective which is protecting our young girls from contact, or exposure, to the Human Papilloma Virus.

HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical cancer and infertility later in life.

The HPV vaccination was offered, for the first time this year in Saskatchewan, to girls in grade 6 through a publicly-funded immunization in-school program. This year only,  it has also been offered to girls in grade 7.  (vmf Dec 9/08) 

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