DOH eyes HPV vaccination for over 2 million girls nationwide

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said it is eyeing to vaccinate over 2 million girls in Grades 4 and 5 nationwide against human papillomavirus (HPV) under its school immunization program.

According to Dr. Alethea De Guzman, director of the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, the agency recommends a single dose of the vaccine for females aged 9 to 14, as this is the most effective period for vaccination before possible exposure to the virus.

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“According to DPCV, we are eyeing to vaccinate 2.007 million learners from grades 4 and 5 from public and private schools against HPV for our Bakuna Eskwela,” De Guzman said during a media briefing.

She also said out-of-school youth can avail of the vaccines at the nearest health centers.

“Of the approximately 2 million learners, around 9 percent are out-of-school youth,” she added.

When asked about the DOH’s latest data on cervical cancer in the country, De Guzman explained that the illness is not a disease under surveillance, for which the agency can typically collect data every month.

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She also said the Philippine Cancer Institute had already begun its hospital-based cancer registry to facilitate more timely collection of information.

Citing the International Agency for Research on Cancer, she said there were 7,829 cervical cancer patients in the Philippines as of 2024.

De Guzman also underscored the importance of school immunization programs, such as HPV vaccination, in raising awareness of cervical cancer, which she noted is the second-leading cause of cancer in the country.

“Sometimes, when we talk about cervical cancer, we immediately discuss screening, chemotherapy, and remedies. No, we want to actually prevent females from having the disease,” she added. /mcm