TEENAGE girls are being urged to take up the jab against cervical cancer as new figures show around 78 Welsh women die of the disease every year.

Steps have already been taken in Wales to protect youngsters aged between 12 and 13 with a vaccine against the HPV human papillomavirus.

The jab can protect against two strains of the virus — which causes more than 70 per cent of cervical cancer cases — and is designed to save lives. Now health chiefs are looking to extend the protection to all girls between 12 and 18.

Most girls have already had their first two doses out of the three at school.

And those aged between 14 and 18 who were not offered the vaccine last year are eligible to participate in the catch-up programme.

Jane Wilkinson, the deputy chief medical officer for Wales, said: "The HPV vaccination is a very significant public health development in Wales.

"Take-up has been really high, but to get maximum protection girls must have the full course of three injections, given over a six-month period.

"The vaccine protects against two strains of the virus (16 and 18), which cause over 70 per cent of cervical cancer cases.

"It is free and all girls and young women are encouraged to take the opportunity to have the only vaccine available to prevent a cancer."

She added: "I'm hopeful that this year's roll-out will be even more successful than the inaugural routine programme last year."

Get health information and advice here

It is recommended that girls take up the vaccine whether they are sexually active or not.

Most women are exposed to HPV infection at some point in their lives, but they do not end up with cervical cancer. Much of the time they are unaware they have been infected with the virus because they have no symptoms.

A total of £9 million has been ploughed in by the Assembly to accelerate the planned two-year catch-up campaign to ensure that an extra 40,000 girls and young women are protected against cervical cancer.

The vaccine does not protect against all HPV infections. Health experts say it is vital everyone attends cervical cancer screening later in life.

An advertising campaign has been launched to encourage girls to take up the vaccine, which has seen information placed on washroom panels, along with television and radio adverts being screened.