Only 52% of 14-year-olds in Austria vaccinated against HPV!

Only 52% of 14-year-olds in Austria vaccinated against HPV!

In Austria, the HPV vaccination only makes a difference for 52 percent of 14-year-olds. This number is alarming, especially considering that HPV vaccination is the best strategy for preventing cervical cancer and five other types of cancer. On Monday evening in Vienna, experts presented recommendations for action and a national action plan HPV elimination. The scientific director Elmar Joura called for a binding Austria-wide action plan and emphasized the importance of a systematic approach to increase the vaccination rate.

The hsoclanören recommendations for action include a comprehensive invitation system for vaccination, the expansion of school vaccinations and the increase in vaccination locations in workplaces. In addition, an e-vaccination certificate and a structured HPV screening program should be introduced to achieve clear progress. The goal is also to publish an annual HPV report to promote public health. These steps are necessary because vaccination rates vary greatly regionally: While 76 percent of young people in Vienna have already been vaccinated, things are less optimistic in other federal states - in Lower Austria it is only 40 percent, in Upper Austria 44 percent and even only 29 percent in Salzburg.

Vaccination rate and differences

Another point that was raised for discussion is the difference in vaccination rates between girls and boys. This is 80 percent for girls, while boys only reach 70 percent. The Austrian action plan aims to close these gaps and reach the WHO target of 90 percent of girls being vaccinated by the age of 15 by 2030. According to a WHO report, around 60,000 women are affected by cervical cancer every year in the European Region, which includes Austria, and 32,000 die from it. WHO also informs that the HPV vaccination is a crucial factor in the fight against this cancer.

But how safe is the HPV vaccination actually? The Robert Koch Institute gives the all-clear: By 2022, over 500 million vaccine doses had been administered worldwide without any serious adverse effects being recorded. This vaccination is considered very safe, although some patients may experience discomfort at the injection site or short-term circulatory reactions. Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, reiterated the need for HPV vaccination as part of comprehensive health strategies.

The urgency of vaccination

An interesting fact: The free vaccination for 21 to 30 year olds ends at the end of the year. Therefore, young adults should act urgently and seize the opportunity before it is too late. Elmar Joura once again makes it clear how important it would be to draw more attention to HPV vaccination in order to achieve the desired quota and thus save lives. Every single step in this direction could ultimately help fewer women suffer from this preventable disease.

Overall, there is still a lot to do. The health authorities are called upon to seriously implement the recommended measures in order to further strengthen the safety barrier around the issue of HPV and to move closer to the goal of an HPV-free future. Because in the end, everyone's health affects us all!