By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – State Health Officer Don Williamson says plans are still on for the state to offer a a cervical cancer-prevention vaccine to girls and young women. But the project will be drastically scaled back because of funding.
Health officials had hoped to receive four (m) million dollars from the Legislature to offer the vaccine for the human papillomavirus, or H-P-V, to at least ten-thousand Alabama girls and teens.
The virus is linked to most cases of cervical cancer and the money would have allowed the state to provide it to females ages 11-to-19 who don't qualify for the federally funded Vaccines for Children program, are uninsured or can't get it through their doctors or other avenues.
The health department's overall budget was increased for the 2008 fiscal year. But Williamson said the increase wasn't enough to fund projects like offering the vaccine and starting an Infant Mortality Review Board.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)