​Knowing that vaccination can prevent HPV-related cancers, the O&G team worked tirelessly to raise awareness and secure discounts for SGH colleagues and their family members.

When I received a phone call from Nurse Clinician Grace Su Wenqian about publicising her team’s Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive, it seemed like a straightforward initiative to promote awareness and offer discounted vaccinations to SGH staff and their family. But as I listened to Dr Joella Ang and NC Grace, I was struck by the immense work that went on behind the scenes and a realisation of how important it was to be protected against HPV.  

The men get it too!  

For a start, I was surprised to hear that while HPV vaccination is commonly administered to girls and women, the viral infection also poses significant health risks to men. HPV infection in men could lead to anal and throat cancers, as well as genital warts. It is therefore recommended that men get HPV-vaccinated too.  

A simple step to prevent cancer 

The HPV vaccination drive is the brainchild of Dr Joella Ang Xiaohong, Consultant, Obstetrics & Gynaecology (O&G) Centre. Knowing that many HPV-related cancer can easily be prevented by vaccination, she had championed it since joining the hospital four years ago.   

“I often see patients in the advanced stages of HPV-related cancer, where treatment options are limited. But really, with early screening, regular check-ups and timely vaccinations - especially when initiated at a young age - many cases of cervical cancer could have been prevented,” explains Dr Joella.   

“And because it’s important to get vaccinated early, we included staff’s children in our plan right from the start,” she says.  

Making it happen  

(from left) NC Grace, Dr Joella, NC He Hui. NC He Hui from Specialty Nursing worked closely with the team to raise awareness about cervical cancer prevention. She delivered talks and engaged staff directly for the HPV Vaccination drive. 

To understand the barriers to HPV vaccination, a survey was done by the team of over 150 SGH colleagues. It showed that cost and time were the two biggest factors deterring staff from taking the vaccine.  

To make the vaccine more affordable, the team carried out countless negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to secure a 30 per cent discount on the HPV vaccine for our staff and their dependents.  

To tackle the second barrier, the team moved on to GROSS the time-consuming process of getting vaccinated. 

Before the drive, staff had to make multiple stops just to get vaccinated. Staff had to first attend a doctor’s consultation at the O&G Centre, then visit the pharmacy to collect the vaccine, and then finally return with the vaccine to the O&G Centre for a nurse to administer it. During peak periods, this could take over four hours, a time commitment that many staff simply could not spare.  

The team simplified the entire process. An online registration form made it easy for staff to make appointments easily. Webinars, FAQs and a declaration form were used in place of a doctor’s consultation. Staff who needed more information could simply email the team via a dedicated mailbox with their queries. In addition, the HPV vaccines were made available on site at the O&G centre allowing for a one-stop visit. This significantly reduced the half-day endeavour to a mere 15 minutes! 

Their efforts paid off. Close to 460 staff and dependents signed up, far exceeding their modest target of 200 participants for this drive. While this was encouraging, it did pose a "happy problem" for the team in terms of manpower planning and space availability. “We even considered coming back on the weekends to complete the vaccinations,” shared NC Grace.  

I was especially impressed by how they tackled the scheduling issue. To avoid overwhelming the team, they worked with SOC to use the Robotic Process Automation software to efficiently schedule appointments over six months, from October 2024 to March 2025. As the centre sees fewer patients in the afternoon, they scheduled vaccinations during these off-peak hours and, hence, were able to use the existing treatment rooms for vaccination.   

On average, 12 vaccinations were administered per day, with nurses at the centre going the extra mile to further educate staff about the vaccination during their visits.   

The collaborative effort between departments such as Finance, SOC and Pharmacy greatly contributed to the success of the drive.  

ANC Helen Lim Swee Tee administering the vaccine to a staff at O&G Centre.  

 Listening to NC Grace share her experience, I could sense the dedication and pride the team felt. “Yes, it’s a lot of work, but I am extremely proud to be part of this. HPV vaccination has benefits and we really want to do this for our SGH colleagues. We are really happy with the result.”   

The drive’s success is a testimony to the unwavering commitment and ingenuity of the O&G team. Their ability to turn a vision into reality, despite the challenges they faced, speaks volumes about what can be achieved when purpose meets perseverance and collaboration.  

For more information, or if you would like to find out more about the HPV Vaccination, please email  [email protected]