Queensland’s cervical cancer vaccine provided free to women in Nepal
A Queensland initiative to provide Professor Ian Frazer’s renowned cervical cancer vaccine free to developing nations was launched in Kathmandu, Nepal, yesterday (Sunday, March 9). Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said four Nepalese women were the first to receive the vaccine at the launch of the program.
(Media-Newswire.com) - A Queensland initiative to provide Professor Ian Frazer’s renowned cervical cancer vaccine free to developing nations was launched in Kathmandu, Nepal, yesterday ( Sunday, March 9 ).
Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said four Nepalese women were the first to receive the vaccine at the launch of the program.
“In the developing world where Pap smears are not widely available, 250,000 women die from cervical cancer every year,” Ms Boyle said.
“This program will save thousands of lives.”
She said providing a free vaccine to defeat the disease worldwide had always been the goal of Professor Ian Frazer and his research team at the University of Queensland’s Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine.
Professor Frazer and the late Dr Jian Zhou developed the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine, the Gardasil vaccine, which protects against the strains of the human papilloma virus that causes 70 per cent of cervical cancers.
Under the $300 million Smart State Innovation Fund program, the Queensland Government is providing Professor Frazer, who is also a Smart State Ambassador, $250,000 a year over five years to translate the immunotherapy success of his cervical cancer vaccine to other diseases.
Ms Boyle said the free vaccines were being provided thanks to the work of the Brisbane-based Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation.
The Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation was established by renowned Queensland businessman and 1995 Chief Executive of the Year Michael Wille, with its directors including Professor Frazer, State Member for Kurwongbah Linda Lavarch and Lenore Guthrie, the former CEO of the PA Foundation, which is linked to the Princess Alexandra Hospital.
“The non-profit organisation has raised money to provide vaccinations to 10,000 Nepalese young women and girls a year,” she said.
Michael Wille arrived in Nepal on Saturday for the launch yesterday where nurse Lenore Guthrie administered the first free vaccines to four Nepalese women.
“What Michael Wille, Professor Ian Frazer and the Foundation is setting out to do is worthy of the highest praise and I’m proud to say that this initiative is coming out of Queensland using a product developed by Queensland scientists,” Ms Boyle said.
“As a Government, we often talk about the economic benefits of the Smart State Strategy, about how government, business and our scientific community are working together to transform Queensland into a 21st century high-tech, knowledge-based economy. And how all of this is paying dividends for Queenslanders.
“What is also important is the outcomes for humanity as whole that are part and parcel of the enormously important research being undertaken in Queensland today.”
Mr Wille said the decision to begin the vaccination initiative in Nepal was due to his close and long association with the country.
“I have come to know Nepal quite well through my many treks through this stunningly beautiful country and through my attempts to climb Mt Everest and Cho-Oyu,” Mr Wille said.
“It’s through this association I’ve come to realise how devastating cervical cancer is to the people of Nepal and in fact to all the people of the developing world.
“Cervical cancer is the number one cancer killer among women between the ages of 30 and 60 in Nepal. There is no screening in the country. No therapeutics.
“Given that we have this Queensland invention that can prevent this devastating disease, then it made sense to me to get that vaccination out to where it’s needed most.
“And it’s important that we provide it for free, given the tremendous poverty that most women in Nepal and the developing world live in.”
Australian Ambassador to Nepal Graeme Lade officially launched the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation’s efforts in Nepal at the Australian Embassy in Kathmandu ( on Sunday, March 9 ).
“We are working in Nepal with the Nepal Network for Cancer Treatment and Research and International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research ( NNCTR/INCTR ), under the direction of their President in Nepal, Dr. Surendra B. Bade Shrestha - who is also a Director of the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation,” he said.
He said NNCTR/INCTR Nepal would be responsible for the administration of the immunisation program.
“To be honest though, this is just a first step. The Foundation’s funds are limited. I put up the money for this myself and obviously I won’t be able to do that for ever.
“So I’d like us to get to the stage where we will be able to ensure the vaccination program in Nepal is sustainable and ongoing well into the future and to start moving into other developing countries, vaccinating young girls everywhere. So I’m hoping we can raise funds down the track through the generosity of businesses and government in Australia and overseas,” he said.
He said he was in contact with businesses to try and secure ongoing funding for the project.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005 Michael Wille, OAM, email: mike@wille.com.au Website for Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation: www.accf.org.au
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