"We are trying to reach as many 15-year-old girls as possible throughout Jakarta to receive HPV vaccination," Deputy Head of the Jakarta Health Service, Dwi Oktavia, stated on Thursday.
She expressed hope that the HPV vaccination would also reach 15-year-old girls in social shelters, informal schools, and street children totaling around 39 thousand.
According to Oktavia, immunization is one of the most effective strategies for addressing health issues, including various diseases, at any age.
"This includes cervical cancer, which is one of the main cancers in women and causes suffering and death. Cervical cancer is classified as a non-communicable disease that is caused by HPV infection in its early stages," Oktavia explained.
She noted that Jakarta was the first province to conduct HPV vaccination for children in grades five and six back in 2016.
The program aimed to prevent cervical cancer at a young age while ensuring their health prior to marriage.
Currently, the HPV vaccination program has been widely distributed throughout Indonesia.
However, the rollout faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022, hindering access to HPV vaccinations for many girls.
As a result, the government has introduced the HPV vaccination policy, which targets 15-year-olds who missed their vaccinations during that period.
"We are expediting the HPV vaccination program to protect children in the 15-year-old age range who did not have the opportunity to receive complete HPV shots at elementary schools," Oktavia remarked.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has given important notes to countries to include the HPV vaccine in their national immunization programs.
The goal of this vaccination program is to achieve 90 percent coverage in girls aged 15 by 2030.
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Translator: Lia Wanadriani S, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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