After 10 years of the introduction of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme in the country for 12 to 18 years girls, Health Ministry today launched HPV vaccination for boys. The vaccine for boys according to the ministry is part of the interventions and programs targeted towards the elimination of cervical cancer in the country.
Cervical Cancer is preventable. However, it is the most common cancer among females and more than 50 cases are detected every year.
Although men do not get cervical cancer, they often tend to be the carrier and transmit the virus to the partner.
“It will reduce the circulation of the virus among the population and also it will further reduce the prevalence of other related cancers such as anogenital cancer, genital warts, penile cancer and or oropharyngeal cancer in boys because of this vaccination,” said Sangay Phuntsho, a Senior Program Officer with the Ministry of Health.
This year due to school closure, the vaccination is being carried out in close consultation with Education Ministry, Thromde and Dzongkhag Administration. Starting next year, the boys will be vaccinated in schools and by health centres.
More than 8,000 boys in the country will be provided with the first dose of the vaccine in a week from today. The second dose is going to be after six months.
“For this year we are targeting around 8,114 boys including monks from 11 years to 14 years. Approximately we have around 6,000 boys in schools and all 12 years old boys who are outside schools. Since we are introducing the vaccine for the first time, we are also targeting young monks from various monastic institutions,” he added.
“This round of program we are doing this year is funded by the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation in collaboration with Merck and for the next five years, I am happy to inform the nation that we have already secured funding from a very close friend of ours, the Panorama Institute. They will be funding the whole of the program for five years,” said Dechen Wangmo, the Health Minister.
The HPV vaccine is currently provided for girls in 106 countries and for boys in 33 countries. Bhutan, according to the Health Ministry is the first country in South East Asia to vaccinate boys with HPV vaccines.
Sangay Chezom
