What do the HPV vaccine and our giveaway movie DVD Africa United have in common?
Last week the Federal Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek announced that from next year, the Gardasil® vaccine will be available to schoolboys through the National Immunisation program. The Federal Government will fund the vaccine for 12 and 13-year-old boys through school-based programs. Year 9 boys will also be able to get the vaccine at school under a catch-up program for the next two years.
Four out of five adults are believed to have been exposed to HPV, which can cause genital warts and cervical cancer. Extending the vaccine to boys reinforces its effectiveness in girls, who have been able to have it since 2007.
Africa United is also about kids in this age group – and it also concerns a virus that can be sexually-transmissable (though not in this case).
This a road movie, fresh and funny, about five children who travel 4000 kilometres to reach the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. HIV enters the picture only towards the end of their journey, but that virus is powerfully present in the background along the way.
There is currently no vaccine for HIV, though at long last there might be one on the horizon.
Africa United is a delightful family film – and if you have older kids, provides a good health-education talking point!
Nurse Uncut has three DVDs to give away to nurses. Simply send us an email with your name and NSWNA membership number. The offer is only open till midnight tonight (EST).
Email us at: nurseuncut@nswnurses.asn.au
Image credit: www.facebook.com/africaunitedmovie
The comp is closed now and we have our three winners!