Antara News·Indonesia·Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 10:30 AM UTC

RI Govt records 88 pct HPV vaccination coverage among fifth-grade boys

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Mecca Yumna, Resinta Sulistiyandari

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Health Ministry said HPV vaccination coverage among fifth-grade boys reached 88 percent as of Oct. 25, with Bali and Yogyakarta exceeding the 90 percent target.

Bali recorded the highest coverage at 97.7 percent, followed by Yogyakarta at 93.5 percent and Jakarta at 82.5 percent, Immunization Director Indri Yogaswari said here Thursday.

Among fifth-grade girls, HPV vaccination coverage reached 83.5 percent in 2026, with 12 provinces meeting the target, including Bengkulu, Banten, North Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, West Java and Yogyakarta.

The ministry provides free HPV vaccination to children to help prevent HPV-related cancers, including cervical, anal, penile and oropharyngeal cancers, Indri said.

"That is why we expanded HPV vaccination to boys and girls: both benefit from protection. This reflects public health principles of equality and equity, ensuring protection is not limited by gender," she said.

Her team plans to extend HPV vaccination for boys to West Java, Central Java and Banten in 2027.

Indri cited a 2025 Chinese study that detected HPV on public restroom surfaces, including squat toilets, washbasins and door handles, suggesting possible environmental exposure.

She said the program faces challenges, including concerns about adverse events following immunization, false claims linking the vaccine to infertility or autism, and disruptions caused by natural disasters.

Aji Muhawarman, head of the ministry's Communication and Public Information Bureau, said GLOBOCAN estimated 408,661 new cancer cases in Indonesia in 2022, including 36,964 cervical cancer cases among women and 20,708 deaths from the disease.

Immunization-safety commission chief Hindra Irawan Satari said HPV shots are best for children ages 9 to 12. "Symptoms may take 15–20 years to appear, and cervical cancer may go undetected until stage 3," he said.

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