Cuba is today strengthening the preparation of health sector specialists to support the introduction in the country, for the first time, of the vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV).
Initially, it will be applied to a universe of 68,524 nine-year-old girls, taking into account the following scheme: one dose of 0.5 milliliters intramuscularly, and two doses in girls diagnosed with an immunodeficient disease, explained Dr. Lena Lopez Ambron, head of the National Immunization Program of the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap).
According to a report by Prensa Latina, the coverage objective is equal or higher than 95%, and the goal is to achieve the elimination of HPV-related cervical cancer, with less than four cases in 100,000 women per year, she explained.
The arrival of the immunobiological will be possible thanks to the joint efforts of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, the Minsap, and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), according to the national workshop on cervical cancer control held recently.
According to Dr. Miguel González, advisor at the PAHO/WHO Representation on the island, vaccination against HPV is one of the measures that are part of the global initiative for the elimination of cervical cancer, together with early detection and access to treatment.
By 2030, the global goal is to vaccinate 90% of girls, detect lesions early in 70% of women, and treat 90% of patients, he said.
Data from the National Cancer Registry show that, in Cuba, one out of every five people dies of cancer, and one out of every three people who die between 30 and 69 years of age is due to this cause.
According to that source, more than 53,000 cases are diagnosed annually, and the trend is increasing, while the number of deaths from this cause, although it has not increased, has not decreased over the years.
