The Special Envoy for the development of families and children yesterday issued a press release promoting the HPV vaccine, particularly to protect children from related diseases like cervical cancer. The Special Envoy, along with the Ministry of Health, is encouraging early vaccination and said, quote, "While some individuals and religious institutions may have concerns about the HPV vaccine, protecting children from a preventable disease must remain a national priority. Therefore, we call on communities, families, parents, educational institutions, faith-based organizations, and leaders across Belize to stand united in safeguarding women and girls from this preventable disease and to support efforts that advance a healthier and more protected future for all." End quote.
However, the Catholic Church is fighting back against this vaccine by saying they will not allow the programs on school grounds.
Last month, the Director of Health and Wellness explained via Zoom that HPV has no symptoms and screenings are important.
Dr Melissa Diaz, Director of Health and Wellness, MOHW
"At our health facilities, we have introduced, as I have mentioned before, and I just want two minutes to talk about HPV because it's extremely important. We've introduced the HPV vaccine in 2016. Upon the introduction of that vaccine, we have never gone to, rate higher than 50 or 60% Covid to drop that rate into the 20s. I would like to say that we are very proud to announce that in 2025 of our target population, we have 75.9% of girls, with that vaccine. This is excellent. It's one of the highest rates that we have seen in this region as well, compounded with the fact that we have introduced the HPV swabs, the tests. So the test can be done two ways. You can have an HPV test that's done by your, that provider. Or we now have the self, the tests that you do by on your own and it started and we started in 2023. And I recall that we've had over 35,000 women already tested for HPV. So we do have the engagement of the public. People are coming in and are asking for these tests. And the importance of HPV is this over 90% of cervical cancer is linked to HPV. But it's important to note that if you have HPV, that does not mean that you will develop cervical cancer. But that's the importance there because HPV human papillomavirus it has no symptoms. So we can be sitting here and have HPV."
The MOHW explained that they will give a press briefing on the importance of the vaccine in the near future.
