The audio is in isiZulu. See the English summary below.  

MABUTHO: Ngokwezibalo ze Medical Research Council njalo ngemuva kwemizuzu embili kunowesifazane obulawa umdlavuza wesibeletho. Indawo lapho lesisifo simandla khona kusezwenikazi laseAfrica njengoba kuthiwa u80% wabantu besifazane abanalesisifo batholakala kulelizwekazi laseAfrica. Cishe kungalesisizathu esenza ukuthi inkampani ekhiqiza amakhambi iGlaxo-Smith-Kline isishayele ihlombe isinqumo somkhandlu olawula imithi kuleli, iMedicines Control Council, sokuvumela ukusetshenziswa kwekhambi layo kuleli elaziwa ngele cervarix elivikela loluhlobo lomdlavuza. Okhulumela lenkampani uElvis Mokoena uthi kufane nengqophamlando ukuvunyelwa kokusetshenziswa kwalelikhambi kuleli. Uthi ukusho lokhu ngoba izibalo zibonisa ukuthi umdlavuza wesibeletho iwona obulala abesifazane abaningi ukudlula umdlavuza webele njengoba ethi minyaka yonke kuleli loluhlobo lomdlavuza luphatha abantu besifazane abangu 6700 luphinde lubulale abangu 3700 kubona.

ELVIS MOKOENA: I must say this is quite a very historic event. More so, because in South Africa it is for the first time that we have a vaccine against cervical cancer. And knowing quite well that if you look at some of the statistics that are available approximately about 6700 women will develop cervical cancer. And of that number about 3700 will die. And incidentally, in the South African setting, cervical cancer kills more women than breast cancer.

MABUTHO: Ngokujwayelekile umdlavuza wesibeletho udalwa igciwane elibizwa nge papillomavirus elitholakala ngokocansi kanye nangokuthintana. Ngokusho kwe American Cancer Society ukubhema ugwayi, igciwane le HIV kanye nokuzala kakhulu nakho kungawudala umdlavuza wesibeletho. UNevin Singh uyi Medical Director enkampanini eqhamuke nalelikhambi, iGlaxo-Smith-Kline. Oka Singh uthi nakuba lelikhambi lenzelwe ukuvikela lowo olisebenzisayo ukuba angangenwa umdlavuza wesibeletho kodwa kufuneka lowo olusebenzisayo aqhubeke nokuzihlolela umdlavuza njengokwejwayelekile.

DR NEVIN SINGH: The vaccine is a primary preventive measure to help protect individuals who get the full course against human papillomavirus infections. One has to bear in mind that being a primary protection measure is not a substitute for regular screening measures. In fact, we encourage regular screening as well as vaccination.

MABUTHO: UDr Singh uthi lelikhambi lithathwa njengeliphephile kulabo abalisebenzisayo. Uthi kodwa ngenxa yokuthi kusetshenziswa umjovo kungenzeka kube khona ongabaphathi kahle. Uthi izinto ezingenzeka kungaba ukuvuvukaliswa umjovo kanye nokubuyisa ukudla.

DR NEVIN SINGH: The vaccine has a favourable safety profile. Every product will have in its product package information a list of side-effects. The same will go for cervarix. As it is an injection, one will anticipate events occurring around the use of the product – for example, redness, maybe swelling at the injection side’€¦ perhaps even vomiting.

MABUTHO: Lelikhambi libhaliselwe ukuthi lingasetshenziswa ngabesifazane abaneminyaka engaphezulu kweyishumi kuya phezulu kuleli. Kodwa kubukeka sengathi labo abahlwempu kusazoba nzima ukuthi balithole ngenxa yokuthi liyabiza. Umjovo walo owodwa ubiza uR700. Kanti lowo olisebenzisayo kumele athathe imijovo emithathu esikhathini esiyizinyanga eziyisithupha. Lokho kusho ukuthi ukuze ukwazi ukuthi ulisebenzise ngokugcwele lelikhambi kumele ube nemali engu R2100. Okhulumela inhlangano ezimele yabantu abanesifo somdlavuza kuleli, iCancer Association of South Africa, uMartha Molete uthi nakuba bekushayela ihlombe ukubhaliswa ngokusemthethweni kwalelikhambi kepha bakhathazekile ngokubiza kwalo. Uthi bangathanda ukuthi kube khona ukungenelela komnyango wezempilo ukuze nalabo abangenayo imali eningi bezokwazi ukulithola.

MARTHA MOLETE: We as CANSA, would like to see an affordable vaccine that is part of the national immunisation programme so that all girls get vaccinated below the age of ten because that is when it is most effective. And as it stands now, it is very expensive. It is about R700 a vaccine ‘€“ which is unaffordable. And it’€™s only in the private sector. But at least, this is a step in the right direction. We really advocate for the Department of Health to consider an affordable vaccine in future.

MABUTHO: Udaba lokwehliswa kwamanani amakhambi okwelapha kubandakanya nokuvulwa kwenkampani engaphansi kukahulumeni ekhiqiza amakhambi abiza kangcono kungezinye zezinqumo ezithathwe yiqembu elibusayo emva komhlangano walo ePolokwane esifundazweni saseLimpopo ngonyaka owedlule. Uma lesisinqumo seqembu elibusayo siphumelela lokho kuyoba usizo olukhulu kwizigidi zabantu bakuleli abangakwazi ukuthola amakhambi asezingeni eliphezulu kanye nosizo lwezempilo olusezingeni elifanele ngenxa yokungabi nayo imali.

See the English summary.

Cancer vaccine registered

South African women can now, for the first time,  be vaccinated against cervical cancer. This follows the recent registration by the Medicines Control Council of a vaccine to prevent the growth of this particular cancer.

‘€œThe registration of this vaccine represents a giant step forward for all South African women’€, so says Elvis Mokoena, spokesperson for Glaxo-Kline-Smith, which manufactured the vaccine.

‘€œIt is a very historic event. More so, because in South Africa it is for the first time that we have a vaccine against cervical cancer. And knowing quite well that if you look at some of the statistics that are available approximately about 6700 women will develop cervical cancer. And of that number about 3700 will die. And incidentally, in the South African setting, cervical cancer kills more women than breast cancer,’€ he said.

Worldwide a woman dies of cervical cancer every two minutes. This is according to statistics from the Medical Research Council. Developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are the most affected, with at least 80% of cervical cancer deaths occurring there.

Cervical cancer is caused by what experts call a ‘€œhuman papilloma virus’€, which is passed through sex and touching. It is also believed that smoking and HIV can also cause cervical cancer. Speaking in an interview with Health-e, Glaxo-Smith-Kline’€™s Medical Director, Nevin Singh, said the vaccine ‘€œis not a substitute for regular screening measures. In fact, we encourage regular screening as well as vaccination’€.

Dr Singh said the vaccine is safe to use, but warned of possible side-effects. ‘€œBecause it is an injection, one will anticipate events occurring around the use of the product – for example, redness, maybe swelling at the injection side’€¦ perhaps even vomiting,’€ he said.

Women from the age of eleven years upwards can use the vaccine. However, those who are poor will never have access to it due to the costs involved. Each injection costs R700. At least three injections are required, bringing the total to R2100.

This has raised concern from the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA). The organization’€™s spokesperson, Martha Molete, says there is a dire need to make the vaccine accessible to all women.

‘€œWe as CANSA would like to see an affordable vaccine that is part of the National Immunization Programme so that all girls get vaccinated below the age of ten because that is when it is most effective. And as it stands now, it is very expensive. It is about R700 a vaccine ‘€“ which is unaffordable. And it’€™s only in the private sector. But at least, this is a step in the right direction. We really advocate for the Department of Health to consider an affordable vaccine in future,’€ said Molete.

Price reductions in medicines, including the establishment of a State-owned pharmaceutical company was among some of the resolutions taken at the 52nd conference of the ruling party (ANC) last year. Should this resolution be followed through it will mean better access to quality health care for the poor.