The Tandag City government in Surigao del Sur intensified its campaign to protect adolescent girls from cervical cancer.

Mayor Roxanne Pimentel, together with Dr. Ruth Arraz, the City Health Office (CHO) head, led Thursday the launch of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination program for the age group.

At least 105 adolescent girls aged 9 to 14 received their HPV vaccines for free.

“I call on the parents and our adolescent girls aged nine to 14 to have themselves vaccinated with HPV,” Pimentel said.

The vaccination, she assured, is a safe and effective protection against cervical cancer.

HPV is considered a common virus that affects teens and causes life-threatening diseases such as cervical cancer.

Though preventable through vaccination, cervical cancer is also considered among the most common causes of death among women in the country. (PNA)