Kazakh Government allocates almost 10 bln tenge for HPV vaccine procurement

The Government of Kazakhstan has allocated funds for a vaccine purchase against human papillomavirus (HPV) to commence vaccination countrywide. The decree was signed by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Kazinform News Agency reports.

A total of 9.7 billion tenge has been earmarked for this initiative, which will be used to procure 351,000 doses of vaccine for regions, cities of republican significance and the capital.
HPV-caused cervical cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers globally, accounting for up to 13.1% of all cases. Annually, approximately 300,000 women succumb to this disease. In Kazakhstan, cervical cancer represents the second most common form of cancer among women. Approximately 1,900 new cases are diagnosed annually, resulting in over 600 deaths.
The only method of combating HPV and cervical cancer is vaccination. In accordance with the National Vaccination Schedule of the Republic of Kazakhstan and WHO recommendations, HPV vaccination will be administered to girls aged 11 years old twice, six months apart. The vaccine to be used in Kazakhstan is a quadrivalent vaccine that protects against the most oncogenic types of HPV (6, 11, 16, 18).