Kosovo remains only state in region without vaccine against HPV

In Kosovo, vaccine against papyrus virus (HPV), which protects from cervical cancer, is not in the vaccination calendar of the National Public Health Institute.

A virus is the most common infection transmitted through sex. This infection may cause some health problems, including cervical cancer.

The HPV vaccine, based on research recently conducted by the Great Britain Organization “Cancer Research”, shows that this vaccine has reduced cervical cancer for almost 90 percent.

cervical cancer kills hundreds of thousands of women worldwide each year and is the second most common cancer in women say health professionals.

In time, health professionals say that it is 100 percent healing.

Hope is that through vaculation, the disease can be eliminated.

According to Kosovo's Oncology Clinic data, up to 120 women are treated annually with cervical cancer.

The number of deaths is unknown.

Health professionals in the field of oncology, with which Free Radio Europe has spoken, call on health institutions to inject the vaccine against the papyrus virus (HPV) in the vaccine calendar.

The director of this clinic, Ilir Kurtishi, tells Radio Free Europe that in the past they have discussed with authorities the importance of this vaccine, but so far there is nothing that has started in this regard.

Our “The lesson is that this vaccine should start being given in Kosovo, as is done in all European countries, as this reduces the number of cases of cervical tissue. But this is an issue that is taken up by the Ministry of Health and the Institute of Public Health and experts dealing with the treatment of”, says Kurtishi.

The Health Ministry has not answered Radio Europe's free questions about whether to consider using this vaccine.

But conversations related to this vaccine in Kosovo date back to 2018. In that year, MSH officials had declared for Radio Free Europe that this vaccine carries high financial costs.

In view of all studies that HPV vaccines view as a good opportunity to reduce this disease, the chairman of the Oncologists' Association, Arben Bislimi, says that in such a situation, there are not many alternatives.

He tells Radio Free Europe that decision-making institutions should insert this vaccine into the communication calendar.

Not only this study but also previous studies show that cervical cancer, some 95 percent of the show, is due to human papyrus virus infection. Until we know the joker that comes to the disease, then in this scenario prevention is vaccination”, Bisilmi says.

Kosovo, Bislimi adds, should start with a regular HPV vaccine calendar for age 9-12 and 13-25 for women who were not vaccinated earlier.

The study of the Great Britain Organisation “Cancer Research” notes that risk reduction was most evident among those vaccinated at the earliest age of 12-13, with a decline of 87 percent.

Those immune from the age of 16-18 had a 34 percent risk decline.

Countries in the region, such as Northern Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro in the vaccine calendar, have the vaccine against the papyrus virus.

In Northern Macedonia, this vaccine is on the calendar. While from 2013 and is binding on women between the ages of 12 and 26 and given in three doses.

In this country's vaccinator, it is suggested that this vaccine should be given to girls in sixth grade.

Serbia too, has HPV vaccine on its vaccination calendar. The vaccine is not mandatory but recommended.

According to the data, up to 1,500 women in Serbia each year are affected by cervical cancer and other cancers, while 600 die.

While the vaccine is recommended and not mandatory health insurance in Serbia does not cover vaccine costs. The price of the vaccine is about 300 euros.

Montenegro had last year allocated the budget for HPV vaccine, but those tools were used for the treatment needs of COVIDD-19.

According to authorities in Montenegro, vaccine with cervical cancer vaccine will continue when there is a more favourable epidemiological situation with COVID-19.

In this, the state according to data, about 110 women per year are treated with cervical cancer.

The HPV vaccine is also in use in Bosnia. The vaccine is not binding and can be bought at the drug store at a price of 180 euros.

In this country, 550 women are treated by cervical cancer, and 140 die.