Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital partners with ACS to increase HPV vaccination rates
Grant will help hospital educate about the need to vaccinate against human papillomavirus
Jennifer Parks
From Staff Reports
ALBANY — The American Cancer Society recently presented Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital with its 2019 HPV Award, which includes a $2,500 grant to help educate families and physicians about the need to vaccinate children against human papillomavirus.
“The American Cancer Society is determined to protect the future of every boy and girl by preventing six types of cancer with the HPV vaccine,” American Cancer Society Senior Manager for Hospital Systems Jessica Davis said. “The American Cancer Society recommends that the two-shot HPV vaccine series is best given to boys and girls at ages 11 or 12.
“HPV vaccination prevents an estimated 90 percent of HPV cancers when given at the recommended age, but cancer protection decreases as age at vaccination increases. It is important that you talk to your family doctor and your child’s pediatrician about on-time vaccination.”
HPV vaccination is covered by most insurance plans, and vaccinations are often given at no cost. Officials at Phoebe said they are tracking HPV vaccinations at the hospital’s clinics and working to increase vaccination rates.
Phoebe’s Network of Trust is expected to educate students about the need to be vaccinated before becoming sexually active, and the grant will help provide continuing medical education about HPV prevention for area physicians.
“The Phoebe Cancer Center truly provides world-class care. We have great success at treating many types of cancer, but we consider it an equally great success when we can help southwest Georgians prevent cancer,” Phoebe Executive Director of Oncology Elena Roman said. “We are pleased to partner with the American Cancer Society on multiple prevention efforts, and we look forward to the outstanding results we are confident will come from this HPV Award.”
In 2018, Phoebe received a colorectal cancer partnership award from the ACS in recognition of Phoebe’s colorectal cancer screening efforts.
Related Articles
Small actions can help save big on utility bills
The high temperatures of July and August can bring scorching utility bills as air conditioners hum to keep houses cool. Albany Utilities Residential Conservation Auditor Willie Jackson offered some tips on making summer cooling bills more manageable.
Bigger budget will mean improvements at Dougherty County’s landfill
“It’s certainly an opportunity where we can grow and make this very beneficial for years to the community. It’s a service that we provide for the community and I want to prolong that resource for the community. It’s not just fill it up and close it.”
Putting on the Ritz: The rise, fall and renewal of Albany’s Harlem District
On July 7, the Albany City Commission unanimously approved final construction drawings for a comprehensive restoration of the Ritz Theatre and Cultural Center, clearing the way for the project to move into competitive bidding after years of planning and preservation efforts. The decision marks the latest chapter in a decades-long effort to preserve one of Southwest Georgia’s most significant African American landmarks.
