A LIFESAVING cervical cancer jab is failing to reach thousands of young Midland women.
The deadly effects of the disease have become well known since reality TV star Jade Goody died from it on Mothers Day last year.
But government figures for the West Midlands show three NHS Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are failing to protect young women by performing well below average in giving them the jabs.
The medication was introduced in 2008 and targets the human papillomavirus virus which can cause cancer of the cervix.
Across the country girls aged between 12 and 18 have been given the jab while at school to prevent the condition in later life.
But in Sandwell figures show nearly a third of girls have missed their jabs since September 2009.
And in Worcestershire and the Heart of Birmingham PCTs just over half the eligible youngsters have been vaccinated.
Last night an expert in the HPV vaccine warned it was vital that girls were given the treatment.
“The fact that some of these girls are not getting the injections is very worrying,” consultant gynaecologist Gabrielle Downey, who works at the BMI The Priory Hospital in Birmingham, told the Sunday Mercury.
“It decreases the risk of having an abnormal smear by 70 per cent.
“With every treatment a woman has for an abnormal smear there is an increased risk of cervical incompetence or premature labour.
“The vaccine has no component in it which can cause harm, there is no risk from it and no reason why young women should not have it.
“It is crucial these trusts get into schools and educate both pupils and parents.”
The Department of Health figures show on average PCTs vaccinated 77.6 per cent of 12 and 13-year-old girls in the West Midlands between September last year and the end of this March.
But at the Heart of Birmingham (HoB) PCT only 53.4 per cent of girls been reached, and in Worcestershire the number is 52.8 per cent.
In Sandwell it was 67.3 per cent.
Other areas of the region have seen a much better take-up rates, with South Birmingham and Telford and Wrekin PCTs vaccinating more than 90 per cent of 12 and 13-year-olds.
Last night the trusts defended their figures, with two saying they were just statistical mistakes.
Ashis Banerjee, consultant in public health, at Worcestershire PCT said: “The data the PCT submitted was inaccurate and underestimated the number of girls actually vaccinated in Year 8.
“Results we have for dose one which go up to the end of April this year show that 71 per cent of Year 8 girls have had the vaccine.
“Monthly submitted results should always be considered provisional. The annual results will be the most accurate indication of true uptake.”
Michele Lawrence, health protection consultant nurse at Sandwell Primary Care Trust, said: “Since the beginning of the national HPV programme the uptake rate for 12-13 year old girls has been relatively high in Sandwell.
“The figures reported only include the vaccines given up to the end of March, which is not a true reflection of our current uptake.
“We will be reviewing the uptake when May’s figures are released.”
Heart of Birmingham said it was battling against low levels of parent consent.
“The PCT is committed to making this important vaccination available to all eligible girls in the Heart of Birmingham area,” a spokesman said.
“We operate a schools based programme with vaccination delivered in HoB secondary Schools. Whilst capacity has been available to immunise all eligible girls and despite the strong support of schools, the level of parental consents to vaccinate received have been lower than other areas, which has significantly contributed to uptake levels.”
