IPOH: The ‘Leaving No One Behind’ Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme is an opportunity for the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (LIAM) to contribute to the community in conjunction with its 50th anniversary this year.
LIAM immediate past president Loh Guan Lat said the effort is part of LIAM’s community-oriented programmes to make people’s lives better.
“The HPV vaccination programme is part and parcel of our core project to contribute to the well-being of the community,” she told Bernama here today.
Earlier, Raja Permaisuri of Perak Tuanku Zara Salim graced the launch of the national HPV ‘Leaving No One Behind’ vaccination programme organised by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM) here.
Present at the launch were the Prime Minister’s wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and the Perak Menteri Besar’s wife Datin Seri Aezer Zubin.
Loh said the objective of the programme is to alleviate the burden of the Malaysian healthcare system by reducing the risk of cervical cancer.
She said it is also to raise awareness and educate the community about HPV and HPV-related cancers, emphasising that prevention and early detection can save lives.
“Cervical cancer is the third most prevalent cancer among women and this can be eradicated. LIAM’s objective is to create that kind of awareness, so people can afford to go for vaccination and eventually do not need to suffer this kind of cancer.
“It’s about awareness and we want to make it (vaccine) easily available for people who need to be vaccinated,” she said.
Meanwhile, LIAM chief executive officer Mark S. O’Dell said the collective contributions of 14 life insurance companies and two reinsurance companies amounted to a substantial RM3 million for the programme.
He said LIAM is committed not only to providing financial support but also to working closely with NCSM to ensure 100,000 deserving girls across the nation receive the vaccination.
“Our members are also volunteering some of their facilities for meetings and (creating) awareness around the whole country to help bring in the community to hear more about the need for the vaccine,“ he said.
The programme is a dedicated initiative designed to provide essential HPV vaccination to girls in underprivileged, rural and vulnerable communities across Malaysia.
With a focus on engaging, educating, and vaccinating girls in 162 districts spanning 13 states and three federal territories, the programme employs a comprehensive approach encompassing health communication, behavioural change intervention and efficient health services delivery. –Bernama
