Rabat – Human papillomavirus (HPV), some types of which have been linked with cervical, penile, and oral cancers, will be integrated in Morocco’s official vaccination schedule starting October 2022, a memo from the Ministry of Health has indicated.
The memo, which was circulated on September 14, says the vaccinations will be offered in two doses separated by six months, for all girls aged 11 and over. In partnership with the Ministry of National Education, the vaccinations will be delivered in schools throughout the country.
Although some HPV types can be asymptomatic forever, other types can manifest symptoms and even cause cancers. An estimated 5% of all cancer cases worldwide are attributed to the virus, with the majority being experienced by women.
According to Morocco’s Ministry of Health, the HPV vaccines contain pseudo-viruses that are not infectious to other people, in order to help the body react and prepare antibodies for the virus.
While the vaccines greatly reduce the risk of infection, the ministry stresses that they should not be a replacement for regular cancer screenings.
It also adds that new research might help in the creation of a new vaccine that can be administered at an early stage of infection by the virus.
