[AUDIO] The age group for free HPV vaccination has been extended

The age group for free HPV vaccination has been extended. If until now the immunization was performed free of charge only for girls aged between 11 and 14 years, the Ministry of Health decided that girls between 14 and 18 years of age should also have access to the vaccine, also free of charge. This is the best method of preventing cervical cancer doctors pass on.

In Caraş-Severin County, the interest for this type of vaccine started to grow. Since the beginning of the year, 170 anti-HPV doses have been administered and because the demand is high, the Public Health Directorate is waiting for a new vaccine tranche from the Ministry of Health.

Dr. Gindrovel Dumitra, coordinator of the Vaccinology Group within the Department of the National Society of Family Medicine, supports the expansion of HPV vaccination in the case of boys, as many Western countries are already doing so. Free anti-HPV vaccination in the case of boys would mean a major benefit for the general health of the population, given that they are the main vectors of virus transmission and Romania is the EU country with the highest incidence and mortality caused by cervical cancers.

Family doctors in Caraş-Severin are also urging parents to vaccinate their daughters against the anti-HPV virus, which leads to the onset of cervical cancer. Parents should seek this vaccine from family physicians. The applications are centralized in the chronological order of the registration date, and the number of vaccine doses required is requested quarterly by the territorial Public Health Directorate. 3 doses are required for complete vaccination.

Through family doctors they can be administered free of charge, but if they are purchased from the pharmacy, a single dose costs 650 lei.

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