Health Ministry launches swift vaccine project to prevent cervical cancer
At least 1 million doses of HPV vaccine will be administered to Thai women aged 11 to 20 within the next 100 days, Public Health Minister Chonlanan Srikaew said.
The move is part of the ministry's “Quick Wins” project, which aims to create a set of practical accomplishments within 100 days.
In an effort to maximise cervical cancer prevention in Thailand, the country's public health ministry launched a free HPV vaccination programme for children in 2018.
The vaccine was expected to be distributed free of charge to Grade 5 students in 2019, along with cervical cancer screenings.
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the programme was temporarily suspended, leaving students who are now 13 to 15 years old without the necessary vaccination.
Chonlanan explained that the public health department will work with the Department of Disease Control to accelerate the development of vaccination guidelines, while the Provincial Public Health Office assesses the number of target groups.
He will grant the National Health Security Office the authority to expedite the procurement of additional HPV vaccines.
"The vaccination will be divided into two groups. The first group will be female students in grades 5-12 who will be immunised through a school-based programme in collaboration with the Education Ministry. Another group will consist of Thai women who have already graduated from high school. They can get the vaccine at any local hospital across the country," he said.
