Fiji's ministry of health has defended the safety of the anti-cervical cancer medicine, Gardasil.
So far, less than two thirds of girls between the age of nine and 12 have been immunised and a medical researcher blames the negative local media coverage for the low uptake.
The ministry's family health national adviser, Josiah Samuela, says it has distributed information leaflets and it's working on an awareness campaign to reach as many girls as possible.
"Our health promotion unit is currently working to put emphasis, especially to parents that the first dose alone doesn't give full protection and that all girls in the age group 9 to 12 that have received their first dose they should come for their second and third dose."
Josiah Samuela says they are also considering giving the immunisation to older girls if there are too many doses left over.
