Jakarta (ANTARA) – Budi Setiawan, head of disease prevention and control section of Central Jakarta’s subdepartment of health, said that vaccination against human papillomavirus or HPV during the month of immunization of young children pupillary (BIAS) is the main weapon to prevent cervical cancer from an early age .
Therefore, Budi asked parents to allow their daughters to undergo HPV immunization during BIAS.
“We need to provide special protection, that is, primary prevention with HPV immunization before that age, the policy is the age equivalent of grades 5 to 6 of elementary school,” he said in a discussion on Doctorku which was followed via the DinkesDKI YouTube channel in Jakarta on Friday.
Budi explained that cervical cancer is abnormal tissue growth on the cervix or cervix that is mostly caused by HPV infection.
Examination and vaccination are very important in the prevention of cervical cancer.
According to Budi, immunization against HPV should be given before exposure to the virus occurs or before women have active sexual intercourse.
Therefore, the government requires HPV immunization for girls ages nine to 13 or grades 5 to 6 of elementary school in BIAS.
“We give this HPV vaccination at school. So to avoid or minimize the possibility that the child is not vaccinated,” Budi said.
He said the government will make HPV immunization one of the mandatory vaccinations in the national immunization schedule starting in 2023.
Budi said the implementation of HPV immunization in the BIAS program still faces challenges, including parental concerns about the effects of HPV immunization.
“I’m afraid the HPV vaccine will have side effects like the COVID-19 vaccine, even though the HPV vaccine is made to look like a virus, so there are few side effects. Pregnant women are not allowed to take it,” Budi said.
He said the health service is stepping up counseling the benefits of HPV immunization to parents and coordinating with school administrators in immunization implementation to increase HPV vaccination coverage.
Budi also stressed the importance of the support of the Education Bureau and the Ministry of Religion Office in the implementation of HPV immunization during the BIAS.
