Minister of National Education Barbara Nowacka announced that a joint program of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of National Education for vaccinations in schools against the HPV virus is being launched.
The Minister of Education took part in a press conference on Wednesday regarding the new HPV vaccination program. She announced that thanks to the program of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of National Education, vaccinations against the HPV virus will take place in schools.
Cancers caused by this virus include cervical cancer, head cancer, and throat cancer. – These are the only cancers for which there is a vaccine. – emphasized Barbara Nowacka.
She noted that with parental consent, vaccination can take place at school.
– Parents will not have to waste time going to primary health care to vaccinate their children – she said. She added that the vaccinations will be carried out by specialists. They will be preceded by an educational campaign.
Until September 1, girls and boys aged 9-14 had access to two types of vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV): bivalent and nine-valent, as part of a universal and voluntary program.
The Ministry of Health wants to increase the number of HPV vaccinations. From September 1, the HPV vaccination program will also cover children aged 9 and 10.
The bivalent vaccine is active against two types of HPV: 16 and 18. It prevents precancerous lesions of the genital organs and anus, as well as cervical and anal cancers associated with oncogenic HPV types.
The nine-valent Gardasil vaccine is active against nine human papillomavirus pathogens, namely: 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58. It protects against precancerous lesions of the genitals and anus, cervical cancer, anal cancer and additionally against the occurrence of genital warts (condyloma acuminata) causally related to infection with certain types of the virus.
According to the National Oncology Strategy, at least 60% of adolescent girls and boys should be vaccinated against HPV by the end of 2028.
HPV vaccination offered to primary school students is voluntary.
PAP/res
