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The free vaccination of boys under the age of 18, against the HPV virus, is postponed by another three months, compared to the deadline promised by the Ministry of Health.
This virus is sexually transmitted and also responsible for the appearance of several types of cancer, both in the genital area and in the neck, in women and men. Medical specialists warn that the number of vaccinated Romanians is extremely small.
Young man: “I haven’t been vaccinated, but I would like to.”
How old are you?
19 years old.
Has anyone told you about HPV before?
No, no one informed me.
**
Have you been vaccinated yet?
“No, but we want to. Why not?!”, answered two young women.
Other people, however, are reluctant.
Is your daughter vaccinated?
“Not. I generally disagree about vaccines. I mean, I believe more in natural immunity than an intervention from outside, in an external means, so to speak,” says a mother.
“No, because I’m one of those who don’t trust the vaccine,” confessed another parent.
Prof. Dr. Radu Vlădăreanu, first vice-president of the Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology from Romania: “It is good to start as it is in the Romanian health program. Ideally, we are protected when we are most at risk of getting this virus. And these things happen whether we want it or not, with the onset of sexual life it is more frequent”.
Global situation: One in three boys over the age of 15 have HPV infection
The HPV vaccine costs around 650 lei and requires two or three doses, depending on the age of the patient. Currently, in Romania only minor girls receive the vaccine for free. In July, the Minister of Health promised full compensation for boys and partial compensation for women under 45.
Prof. Dr. Alexandru Rafila, Minister of Health: “Contracts have been concluded for all vaccines, including HPV, there are over 80 thousand doses, they can be found at family doctors. A woman who is 18-45 years old will have partial compensation for the HPV vaccine, teenagers, girls or boys will have free, that is, full compensation”.
Family doctors say they have only just begun to collect data on applicants and estimate that the actual vaccination will begin in December this year at the earliest.
Sandra Alexiu, primary family medicine doctor: “I understand that the rules for the flu vaccine come first, then for the HPV vaccination. From December we expect to be able to vaccinate people who are at risk, both for HPV, including boys up to 18 years old, free of charge”.
According to the data of the Romanian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, from 2020 until now just over 150,000 girls have been vaccinated, and the need would be 800,000. A similar number of vaccinations should be given among boys. The latest study in the field showed that worldwide one in three boys over the age of 15 is a carrier of the HPV virus.
2023-09-22 16:42:12
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