Hapcheon-gun Expands Eligibility for Cervical Cancer Vaccination Program

Free Vaccination for Basic Livelihood Security Recipients and Women in the Second-Lowest Income Bracket

Cervical Cancer Vaccination Poster.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongnam Province, is expanding the target age for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to ages 13 to 26.

Currently, the HPV vaccination support target is female adolescents aged 12 born between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010. Starting from the 14th, not only female adolescents aged 13 to 17 (born 2004 to 2008) but also women aged 18 to 26 who are basic livelihood security recipients or in the lower-income bracket can receive the vaccination for free.

The number of doses and intervals for HPV vaccination vary depending on the age at vaccination and the type of vaccine (bivalent or quadrivalent). For ages 9 to 14, two doses are administered at intervals of 6 to 12 months.

For those aged 15 and older, when receiving the bivalent vaccine (Cervarix), the 2nd and 3rd doses are given at 1-month and 6-month intervals, respectively; for the quadrivalent vaccine (Gardasil), the 2nd and 3rd doses are administered at 2-month and 6-month intervals, respectively.

According to vaccination standards, those aged 17 and 26 who have already completed the first dose at the corresponding age can receive the 2nd or 3rd dose up to one day before 12 months from the date of the first dose and receive cost support.

A health center official said, “Cervical cancer ranks third in incidence among cancers in women aged 15 to 34. Since it is the only cancer that can be prevented through vaccination, we hope many eligible women in Hapcheon-gun will participate to promote women's health.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.