Gianyar Regency Government Conducted Vaccination To Prevent Uterus Cancer For Junior High School Students

PHOTO VIA ANTARA

GIANYAR - The Government of Gianyar Regency, Bali, conducted an injection of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine for junior high school students to prevent uterine cancer.

Communication and Information Office of Gianyar Regency Government said the program was a collaboration between the Gianyar Indonesian Cancer Foundation (YKI) and the health office. This vaccination is symbolically given to 28 students of State Junior High School (SMP N) 1 Blahbatuh and will be carried out simultaneously to State Junior High School students in Gianyar Regency by the health centers in each region.

In the HPV vaccination activity, Gianyar Regent I Made Agus Mahayastra, Chairman of the Indonesian Cancer Foundation (YKI) in Gianyar Regency, as well as Chairman of the Gianyar Regency PKK Driving Team, Surya Adnyani Mahayastra, Chairman of Commission IV DPRD Gianyar Regency, head of the Gianyar Regency regional apparatus organization, and school principals junior high school throughout Gianyar Regency.

Chairman of the Indonesian Cancer Foundation (YKI) Gianyar Regency, Surya Adnyani Mahayastra, said that the provision of this vaccine has been a routine program of YKI since 2015. In 2015 the YKI Gianyar Branch gave HPV vaccines to 1,120 children with a budget of Rp728 million.

Then in 2016 there were 1,458 children with a budget of Rp1.02 billion, in 2017 there were 2,902 children with a budget of Rp5 billion, in 2019 there were 3,737 children with a budget of Rp3.189 billion.

The HPV vaccine is a vaccine used to protect the body from infection with the human papilloma virus. This vaccine can be given to children who enter adolescence, both girls and boys, as well as to adults who have never or have not received the HPV vaccine completely.

The head of PKK Gianyar added that because of the 2020 pandemic, the Human Papilloma Virus vaccination program could not be implemented. In 2021 it will be implemented again, but with more specific targets with a priority scale.

"Previously, the HPV vaccination targeted all junior high school students, this year YKI Gianyar prioritized underprivileged children, high-achieving children, and children with a family history of cancer," he said.

In 2021, there were 169 children who received the HPV vaccine. "Currently, cancer is the most common cause of death, so I, as the head of YKI Gianyar, have the responsibility and obligation to protect our generations from cervical cancer and breast cancer," said Surya Adnyani Mahayastra.

According to him, there are two cancers that are deadly for women. First, cervical cancer which can be prevented from an early age by doing pap smears for those who are married, and IVA tests for mothers, and for children can be given the HPV vaccine from the age of 9 years.

The purpose of vaccination is to provide protection or immunity to young women against cervical cancer and breast cancer and to reduce the rate of morbidity and mortality caused by cancer.

One of the vaccination participants, Ni Kadek Diva Pramesti, a student of SMP Negeri 1 Blahbatuh, was happy to be able to participate in the vaccination carried out by YKI Gianyar Branch. She hopes that this vaccination can prevent her from contracting cervical cancer, breast cancer, and other cancers that are susceptible to young women.