Kazakhstan to use U.S.-produced vaccine to immunize girls against HPV

In September 2024, Kazakhstan will start immunizing girls against human papilloma virus (HPV) with Gardasil vaccine, Kazinform News Agency reports.

“For vaccination against the HPV, the quadrivalent Gardasil vaccine, produced in the U.S., will be used, which protects against the most oncogenic types of HPV - 6, 11, 16 and 18. The vaccination will let reduce cancer diseases including cervical cancer and will enable to improve population health, as well as to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality rate,” says Zaure Akhmetova, Deputy Chairperson of the Sanitary Epidemiological Committee of the Ministry of Healthcare, at a briefing in Astana.

According to statistics, cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer among Kazakhstani women of all ages after breast cancer and the second leading cause of death in women aged from 25 to 44. Every year, Kazakhstan registers 900 new cervical cancer cases and more than 600 women die of this disease.

“Vaccination is the only way of preventing the human papilloma virus infection and spread of cervical cancer. Given the burden of morbidity and HPV vaccine effectiveness, 135 countries have included it into their immunization schedules,” Zaure Akhmetova added.