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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The Government of the Northwest Territories will need more cash if it is to fund a vaccination program against a virus that causes cervical cancer in women.

The costly vaccine, which goes by the trade name Gardasil, protects against four strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection. In addition to having the potential to cause cervical cancer, the virus can also cause genital warts.

"In order for us to implement it we have to spend more than what the federal government is giving us," said Gregory Cummings, deputy minister for the Department of Health and Social Services. He added the GNWT will not proceed with the program until it can sustain it long term.

The federal government has set aside $300 million for the program - for all of Canada. The territory only receives about $388,000, said Cummings.

"We could use the $388,000 to start the program, which would probably cover the full cost of the first year and part of the second year."

The vaccine is administered in three shots, totalling $430. It can be given to girls as young as nine and women as old as 26.

"Initially you have to decide what age group you're going to provide the vaccine to," said Cummings.

"When you decide that you also have all the children who would be older than the youngest cohort to catch up on.

"It's quite a big investment up front," he said.

"Gardasil would be the most expensive vaccine that we would supply to date," added Wanda White, a communicable disease consultant with Health and Social Services.

The most expensive inoculation the government currently covers is the pneumococcal vaccine, which at four shots and $73 a pop totals just under $300.

Even so, said White, "when you're talking about funding a cervical cancer (vaccine), talk to someone who's had cervical cancer. Four hundred dollars is not a lot of money."

She added while the government won't be funding the program this fall, she hopes the extra cash will be found within the year: "But we don't know."

Indeed, the decision to save money now may cost the government more in the long run, said Sharon Thomas, NWT Status of Women executive director.

"I think we need to be putting money into prevention and this is one aspect of prevention - it's really priorities," she said. "Later down the line we pay more. Later we're paying for treatment process for cervical cancer," she added.

"It needs to be dealt with right here, locally, at an early age as possible."

While the vaccination is not publicly funded - yet - women can pay for it if they want it and it is available in the territory, Cummings pointed out.

"People have told me that they've already taken the initiative on their own - people that can afford it and are in the know," he said.

The virus affects both men and women and there are over 80 types. It is estimated that 75 per cent of Canadians will have at least one infection in their lifetime, with anywhere between 10 per cent to 30 per cent of the Canadian adult population currently infected, according to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

While only 11 per cent to 25 per cent of HPV cases are estimated to be potentially cancer-causing, with many HPV cases disappearing without treatment, the threat of such a cancer diagnosis is scary enough.

"It would be terrible if I had a daughter and had to deal with that," said Thomas.

"It would be devastating to think 'gee if we just had this little bit of money available this could have been prevented.'"