Health expands HPV vaccination to population up to 45 years

Paraguay's Ministry of Public Health has announced a significant expansion of its Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program, extending coverage to include at-risk adults up to 45 years old. This broadened initiative aims to protect populations facing a higher risk of HPV-related complications.

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If today you receive the dose, within a month the second, and within six months of the first you receive the third dose.

Luis Cousirat, director of the Expanded Immunization Program (PAI), confirmed the inclusion of specific risk groups. Notably, individuals living with HIV will now receive the HPV vaccine, requiring a three-dose schedule. This also extends to those undergoing immunosuppressive treatments, such as prolonged corticosteroid use, recipients of solid organ transplants, and victims of sexual violence. Patients with precancerous cervical lesions (CIN2) are also eligible.

Cousirat clarified that the vaccine is available at vaccination centers, requiring a doctor's indication confirming the patient's condition. He noted that other regional countries, like Chile and Uruguay, have similar vaccination schemes for special population groups, indicating that Paraguay is aligning its efforts with established regional practices.

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The vaccine is available at the vaccination centers; you have to go with a doctor's indication that certifies that you are suffering from the condition.

The primary strategy for HPV prevention continues to focus on vaccinating children between the ages of 9 and 14, where the vaccine demonstrates high efficacy. However, this new measure addresses a critical gap by offering protection to adults who may have been exposed or are at increased risk. Cousirat stressed that vaccination before exposure to the virus remains the most effective preventive measure, highlighting the vaccine's efficacy rate of 95-96% in the 9-14 age group.

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The best way to prevent HPV remains vaccinating children before they come into contact with the virus. From 9 to 14 years old, the vaccine has an efficacy of 95%, 96%. The vaccination strategy remains this.