Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Health of Republic Indonesia, at the Indonesian Health Diaspora Meeting for the Americas and Europe Region explained the Health Transformation program, one of which contained an increase in the number of mandatory vaccines from 11 to 14 types. Two of the three types of vaccines added are PCV (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) and Rotavirus, which aim to prevent pneumonia and diarrhea, which are the 2nd highest cause of infant mortality in Indonesia. While the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine aims to prevent cancer in the female reproductive organs, especially the cervix (neck of the womb).
Who Should Get HPV Vaccination
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following groups of people to receive the HPV vaccine :
- Children aged 11-12 years. Vaccination can be given when the child is 9 years old.
- People under the age of 26 years who were not vaccinated earlier when they were children or teenagers.
- HPV vaccination is not recommended for all adults ages 27 through 45 years. HPV vaccination in this age range provides less benefit because more people have already been exposed to the virus. If you still want to get the HPV vaccine, make sure you consult to your doctor first.
How Many Doses Of HPV Vaccines Are Needed?
The HPV vaccine is given as a series of shots. Children who start the vaccine series before their 15th birthday need only two doses to be fully protected. Meanwhile, people who start the series at age 15 or older and people who have certain conditions that weaken the immune system need three doses to be fully protected.
Is the HPV Vaccine Effective in Preventing Cervical Cancer?
Clinical testing has proven that the HPV vaccine is very effective for preventing infection cervical infection. given to people who have not been exposed to the HPV virus, that is before someone has sexual intercourse. In fact, 1 of 3 types of HPV vaccines that have been licensed, namely Gardasil 9, has been shown to reduce the risk of infection, precancerous and cancerous diseases of the cervix, vagina, and vulva to be nearly 100% effective.
Is The HPV Vaccine Safe?
The answer is yes! Observations that have been carried out for more than 12 years show that the HPV vaccine doesn’t have any serious side effects. The most common problems have been brief soreness and other local symptoms at the injection point. These problems are similar to those commonly experienced with other vaccines. As a precautionary measure, all vaccine recipients are advised to sit or lie down for 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine to observe any possible side effects.
Why is the HPV Vaccine Important?
The combination of HPV vaccination and cervical screening test can provide the greatest protection against cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine also plays a role in reducing the risk of developing cancers caused by HPV at other organs than the cervix.
Getting the HPV vaccine is not only protecting people who have received the vaccine, we also reduce the risk of spreading the infection to people who have not received the vaccine. A study of the HPV vaccine program in 60 million women in 14 high-income countries showed that after 8 years of the program, diagnoses of sexually transmitted disease decreased by 31% among women aged 25–29 years, by 48% among boys aged 15–19 years, and by 32% among men aged 20–24 years, compared with the period before vaccination began.
Something that you should know is that the HPV vaccine can’t protect you from all sexually transmitted diseases or can cure the infection by the HPV virus that has already occurred. So, things you can do to prevent cervical cancer is do a healthy lifestyle as early as possible even before receiving the HPV vaccine, such as not smoking, using contraceptives wisely, and not changing sexual partners.
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Sources :
Kementerian Kesehatan RI. Panduan Penatalaksanaan Kanker Serviks. Kanker Kemenkes RI. [online]. http://kanker.kemkes.go.id/guidelines/PPKServiks.pdf
National Cancer Institute. (2021). Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccines. National Institute of Health. [online]. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/infectious-agents/hpv-vaccine-fact-shee