The director of the National Programmed for Control of Preventable Diseases, Carla Vanzetti, said that from October will apply in the country free vaccine human papillomavirus (HPV), recently incorporated into the official calendar for girls 11 years. This measure aims to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer, which each year are diagnosed 3 000 new cases and 2 000 deaths caused.
Was reported in the context of a strategy meeting of HPV vaccination in Argentina, held on the eve of World Day of Action for Women’s Health at the headquarters of the national health portfolio. Also present were Deputy Minister of Health, Maximum Risqué, National Program Coordinator for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer, Silvia Arose, and the director of the National Cancer Institute, Roberto Partier,
and Vanzetti confirmed that “1.2 million doses will be entering the country in September through the Revolving Fund of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).” This immunization “covers over 77% of HPV genotypes circulating in the country and are the main causes of cervical cancer,” he said.
In turn, the official confirmed that after evaluating variables such as cost-effectiveness, it was decided to tender the purchase of bivalent vaccines that protect against two virus subtypes that cause cancer.
To achieve effectiveness, “should provide three doses, the second is given one month after the first and last 6 months,” he said Vanzetti. The incorporation of the vaccine to the official calendar, adopted by President Cristina Kirchner, guarantees free access to a prevention tool in the private market, costs about 300 pesos each application.
However, the strategy adopted by the Ministry of Health is not limited to vaccines. In that sense, Partier said the neither the women nor their doctors “should forget the fundamental role of the Pap smear,” and that he should act with “all weapons are available” to reduce the incidence of the disease.
For its part, Arose added that as part of the vaccination campaign “will be made an HPV test,” also called hybrid capture. This test can detect 13 monogenic virus subtypes are performed in the same way that the PAP, but “it is an observational analysis and has a sensitivity approaching 100%.”
The initiative aims to deepen the health portfolio was implemented in Jujuy, a province that historically has had high rates of cervical cancer. In his words, sought to ensure “access of women to health services for the completion of the test, the PAP and monitoring of the virus, since factors such as poor coordination of services for adults with precancerous lesions and obstacles to perform these tests put obstacles to diagnosis and treatment.
The measures presented by the national health portfolio had the support of references to scientific societies such as Argentina Infectious Diseases (SADI) of Pediatrics (SAP), Pediatric Infectious Diseases (SADIP) and members of the OPS.
Since 2003, the country joined the official calendar of the vaccine against hepatitis A, the trivalent bacterial cell, the shot, the pneumococcal conjugate and finally, the HPV.