THESE girls are among the first in the region to be offered a new vaccine against one of the most common cancer killers among women.

The 12- and 13-year-olds at Cantell School in Southampton have received the first of three vaccination jabs against cervical cancer.

The new Cervarix vaccine offers protection against two strains of the human papilloma virus that cause 70 per cent of cervical cancers.

Hampshire’s health chiefs hope the Government’s new annual £100m vaccination programme will reduce the estimated 1,000 women who die from the disease every year.

Hannah Summers, a school nurse for Southampton Primary Care Trust said: “This vaccine is a breakthrough and an enormous step forward for women’s health.

“It’s the first vaccine made available against any cancer. If we can reduce the rates of cervical cancer by seventy per cent that is just incredible. .

“By the year 2011 we should have vaccinated all the girls aged between 12 and 18. From then on we will be continuing to vaccinate 12- and 13-year-olds with the aim of eradicating strains 16 and 18 of the sexually transmitted HPV virus that causes most of the cancers.”

Miss Summers said that takeup of the vaccination – involving three different injections given over six months – at different Southampton schools was no less than 80 per cent.

She said the reason that girls aged 12 and 13 would be targeted for the vaccination was because the injections were most effective among non-sexually active girls.

Meanwhile a range of clinics have been organised by Southampton Primary Care Trust for 17 and 18-year-olds are who not in full-time education or training.

For details see below.

While the vaccine offers some protection, today’s teenage girls will still have to go for regular cervical cancer tests when they are older.

Dr Bob Coates, consultant in public health at Southampton Primary Care Trust, said that the vaccination was good news for women’s health.

But he stressed the importance of women going for regular cervical testing with one in three young women aged between 25 and 30 failing to get tested across Southampton.

“Cervical cancer screening is very important because it can help to pick up any abnormalities that may later cause cancer,” he said.

Jabs for girls aged 17 and 18

Cervical cancer vaccination drop-in clinics for 17 and 18-year-olds who are not in full-time education, training or employment are being held at the following locations:

  • Bitterne Walk In Centre: Nov 10; Dec 10, June 2 (6pm-8.30pm)
  • Shirley Walk In Centre: Nov 11, Dec 11, June 3 (6.30pm-9pm)
  • Royal South Hants Walk-In Centre: Nov 27, Jan 6, June 9 (5pm- 7.30pm)
  • Sure Start Thornhill: Jan 17, Feb 11, July 15 (5pm – 7.30pm)
  • Pickles Coppice, Millbrook: Dec 15, Jan 12, June 15 (5pm-7.30pm)
  • Sure Start Weston: Jan 14, Feb 25, July 8 (5.30pm – 7.15pm)