Global Health is an International lobby group that advocates for quality health for all human beings, driven by the goal “Quality Health, Quality People “the group advocates for the health rights for all people. Human health needs to be given the first priority by any government or leader since it determines the destiny of a nation. A nation that ignores human health, fails to invest in the people. Cancer is one of the leading killer diseases in the world, however there are measures that can be put into place to reduce the death rates associated with the disease.
For many years, the policy makers in the US have for years differed on the Human Papillomavirus Vaccination for all the girls aged between the ages of 11-12 years, aimed towards reducing cases of cervical cancer. The policy also requires the males aged between 11-12 years to be vaccinated, the male vaccination is aimed towards preventing genital warts. Cervical cancer is a killer disease in the world, of all women dying from cancer, 70% of them suffer from cervical cancer. Lack of political goodwill in implementing the policy has been attributed to the propaganda that the vaccine has been labeled by many as an STD prevention vaccine. In the year 2012, there were already two vaccines that were available in the market; the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in the US recommended routine vaccination for both genders.
Vaccination policies in the US are passed by the individual states. Some of the state legislatures have already initiated the program (Houlton, 2012). However even after the policy was passed, funding for the project was not made, it is obvious that the legislators are not in support of the policy. May states introduced the legislation with Michigan being the first but no action has been taken to fund this policy (Calder & Gardasil, 2013).
Various health bodies support the legislation with the Cancer Awareness program being on the front line in support of the policy. There is no cure for cervical cancer, and the only way to prevent the deaths associated with the disease is to apply the preventive measures. Cancer treatment is expensive, and the ordinary citizen cannot afford it. Provision of medical care for cancer patients is also expensive.2 Out of every three women diagnosed from cancer suffer from cervical cancer, this is quite alarming since this is a disease that can be prevented. A patient suffering from cervical cancer spends over $100,000 in a year. Many cannot afford to pay this as medication cost; the insurance companies also charge high insurance policies for patients suffering from the disease. Politics should not be a barrier towards the provision of quality health care for all citizens. It is cheaper to vaccine young girls from the disease than the provision of medication when they are old and suffering from the disease. Cervical cancer is not an STD; such kind of propaganda is deceiving to the public and is used by the politicians as a diversion from the reality. With the political goodwill, funds can be made available to implement the policy and save the lives of many (Pharmacoeconomics, 2012).
The legislatures in different states need to look at the long term goal in preventing cervical cancer. This will have long term benefits in terms of health care cost. With no cure for the disease, death should not be the second option since there is a vaccine.
Work Cited
&Na;. (2012). Cervarix, GlaxoSmithKline's Cervical Cancer Vaccine, Has Been Confirmed As The Vaccine The Dutch National Immunisation Programme (NIP) Will Supply.. PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News, &NA;(567), 14.
Calder, L. (2013, March 1). Gardasil: holy grail or false idol? Will the community become apathetic about continuing regular cervical screening now that an immunisation programme for the Human Papillomavirus has been introduced?(VIEWPOINT). Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand, 2, 12.
Cervical cancer prevention & human papillomavirus (HPV). (2010). Auckland, N.Z.: Immunisation Advisory Centre, The University of Auckland.
Houlton, S. (2012, July 9). Cost-benefit of vaccine unproven. (Human papiplloma virus). Chemistry and Industry, 1, 35.
