Beijing — China's National Health Commission has announced that approximately 40% of girls aged 13-14 have received free HPV vaccinations as part of the country’s initiative to combat cervical cancer.

Shen Haiping, head of the commission’s maternal and child health department, noted that since 2021, 11 provincial-level regions and several cities have provided free HPV vaccines to eligible girls. Additionally, nationwide HPV screenings have been conducted over 280 million times, facilitating early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cervical cancer. Health authorities have collaborated with women's organizations to provide financial medical assistance to 275,000 cervical cancer patients in need.

The commission highlighted cervical cancer as the most common gynecological cancer in China, with 151,000 new cases in 2022, equating to an incidence rate of 13.8 per 100,000 people, ranking it fifth among cancers in women.

Shen emphasized China’s commitment to preventing and treating cervical cancer, underscoring its importance in multiple official documents. In 2023, China launched an accelerated campaign to eliminate cervical cancer, aiming to reduce the incidence to 4 cases per 100,000 people by the end of the century, in alignment with international goals.

Source: 

www.xinhuathai.com
www.arokago.com/cervical-cancer