Thailand offers free HPV vaccines for girls and young women
The Government of Thailand is offering free cervical cancer vaccinations to girls and young women aged 11 to 20 until the end of April, part of an initiative supported by the Ministry of Public Health.
Cervical cancer, described by Deputy Government Spokesperson Sasikarn Watthanachan as a silent disease, results in numerous fatalities annually in Thailand. The vaccine protects against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a prevalent sexually transmitted infection that spreads through skin-to-skin contact.
The vaccination, administered at no cost under an initiative supported by the Ministry of Public Health, can notably decrease the risk of cancers and genital warts associated with HPV.
According to Sasikarn, individuals in the target age group can receive the vaccine without pre-registration by presenting their identification cards at any of the 69 health service centres nationwide. These services are available every Wednesday from 1pm to 3pm until April 30.
Additionally, the HPV vaccines are accessible to prathom 5 (year 5) students in schools operated by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, with the Health Department overseeing distribution at these locations. Sasikarn mentioned that the programme primarily targets those who have never been vaccinated against HPV and those who were vaccinated more than six months ago, reported Bangkok Post.
In similar news, Thailand is taking a major step in the fight against dengue fever, launching a large-scale clinical trial of a new vaccine for children in Nakhon Phanom province. The trial, set to begin on April 4, will involve 35,000 children aged between seven and 10, regardless of prior dengue infection.
Approved by the National Communicable Disease Committee, the study aims to determine the vaccine’s effectiveness and pave the way for its inclusion in Thailand’s universal healthcare scheme.
In other news, crop burning in Myanmar and Laos have significantly contributed to the poor air quality in Chiang Mai, which has been ranked as having the worst air quality in the world. On March 16, 17 provinces in Thailand reported PM2.5 levels exceeding safety standards.
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