The vaccine and XXXX screen (VACCS) project: acceptance of @entity1082 vaccination in a school-based programme in two provinces of South Africa.

@entity5 @entity1 @entity1082
BACKGROUND: The incidence of @entity5 in South Africa (SA) remains high, and the current screening programme has had limited success. New approaches to prevention and screening tactics are needed. OBJECTIVES: To investigate acceptance of school-based @entity1082 ) vaccination, as well as the information provided, methods of obtaining consent and assent, and completion rates achieved. METHODS: Information on @entity5 and HPV vaccination was provided to 19 primary schools in Western Cape and Gauteng provinces participating in the study. @entity1 with parental consent and @entity1 assent were vaccinated during school hours at their schools. RESULTS: A total of 3 465 @entity1 were invited to receive HPV vaccine, of whom 2 046 provided written parental consent as well as @entity1 assent. At least one dose of vaccine was delivered to 2 030 @entity1 (99.2% of the consented cohort), while a total of 1 782 @entity1 received all three doses. Sufficient vaccination was achieved in 91.6% of the vaccinated cohort. Of all invited @entity1 , 56.9% in Gauteng and 50.7% in the Western Cape were sufficiently vaccinated. CONCLUSION: This implementation project demonstrated that HPV vaccination is practical and safe in SA schools. Political and community acceptance was good, and positive attitudes towards vaccination were encountered. During the study, which mimicked a governmental vaccine roll-out programme, high completion rates were achieved in spite of several challenges encountered.
