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Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin ensured that routine immunization programs, especially the HPV vaccine, were provided free of charge starting this year.

“Free, financed by the state, (starting) this year,” said Budi Gunadi on the sidelines of the event at the Ritz Carlton Mega Kuningan, Jakarta, Tuesday (19/4/2022).

The provision of free HPV vaccine is carried out as a preventive and promotive measure for the Government in implementing basic health needs. Vaccination is more about preventing disease from getting worse, not curing it.

“Like COVID-19, if we get sick it costs tens of millions to go to the hospital, but if we prevent it from wearing a mask, taking vitamins is much cheaper, so vaccination is to prevent, not treat sick people,” he concluded.

For the record, the provision of free HPV vaccine is only intended for 5th and 6th graders. This vaccine will be included in the mandatory immunization program in the School Child Immunization Month (BIAS) every August.

The Ministry of Health noted that the areas included in the national immunization program for HPV vaccination starting in 2022 are all districts/cities in Central Java, all districts/cities in East Java, Bali, North Sulawesi, Gorontalo, and Southeast Sulawesi.

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