Silence Broken: Ministry of Education Defends HPV Vaccine Rollout

After days of mounting public debate over the HPV vaccine rollout in schools, the Ministry of Education has finally broken its silence, issuing a statement today reaffirming its commitment to student health and well-being. In a brief press release, the ministry underscored that all school-based vaccination programs are carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and are guided by strict protocols that require informed parental consent before any student is vaccinated. It also stressed that these initiatives are designed to respect parental authority, promote transparency, and prioritize student safety. Notably, the statement makes no reference to concerns raised by church groups that have been at the center of the ongoing controversy. On Thursday, Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Doctor Natalia Beer detailed the protocol followed.

 

Dr. Natalia Beer, Technical Advisor, Ministry of Health & Wellness

“So for example for the school-based vaccination what we recommend is that every year we have to meet with the school and have a meeting with the principal only. A second meeting is done with the teachers. A third meeting is done with parents. When the school for PTA meetings, not all parents reach. The attendance is a bit poor. But the nurses have to go the extra mile and with the support from the community health care workers address parents on a one to one basis. We make sure that parents have the opportunity to receive the information for the vaccine, what is the objective and any other question they may have to answer it before they even sign the consent form. Before they sign the consent form they need to get the opportunity to ask all their questions. Now what we are doing also is calling them by phone and providing them with the information so that they can get the information before signing the consent form. That is the process we follow. The fourth visit is the actual vaccination. But those three meetings need to happen, that communication with the parents is a must.”

 

The Ministry of Health and Wellness says it will continue to work closely with schools, parents, and healthcare providers to ensure that accurate information is shared and that all vaccination efforts remain voluntary and transparent.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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