Jakarta (ANTARA) - As part of efforts to eliminate cervical cancer in Indonesia, the Health Ministry is planning to administer the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to boys aged under 15 to prevent the sexual transmission of the virus.
Director of Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases at the ministry Siti Nadia Tarmizi on Friday said the immunization will be divided into two phases, with Phase 1 planned in 2023–2027 and Phase 2 in 2028–2030.
According to Tarmizi, the vaccination will be carried out in conjunction with the Student's Immunization Month.
Besides breast cancer, cervical cancer is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among Indonesian women, she noted.
She highlighted that cervical cancer causes around 56 deaths per day. However, it is the only cancer that can be eradicated through immunization.
Considering the risk of HPV transmission through sexual intercourse, HPV immunization also needs to be administered to men, Tarmizi explained.
"We never know when the virus infection occurs. HPV infection is usually in the form of warts that we sometimes ignore. It can appear on the skin or the genitals, both in men and women," she said.
HPV can cause various health problems in men, ranging from genital warts and even certain types of cancers that attack organs such as the anus, penis, and oropharynx, she informed.
Tarmizi said the immunization will be focused on children in the fifth grade (aged 11–12 years), with catch-up immunization provided to children aged 15 years.
Her ministry has set three targets to eliminate cervical cancer. First, immunize 90 percent of girls and boys against HPV before they turn 15.
Second, carry out HPV DNA screening of 75 percent of women aged 30–69 years. And third, provide treatment to 90 percent of women with pre-cancerous lesions or invasive cancer.
She then highlighted the high cases of cervical cancer and the mortality caused by the disease. Based on 2022 data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the estimated number of cancer cases in Indonesia is 408 thousand, with fatalities pegged at 242 thousand.
Taking note of these figures, the government is implementing several comprehensive and integrated strategies, such as breast cancer and cervical cancer screening, which are included in the Free Health Checks (CKG) program, Tarmizi said.
