HDP demands legal amendment to offer HPV vaccine free of charge in Turkey

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İstanbul MP Oya Ersoy has submitted a legislative proposal foreseeing that the human papillomaviruses (HPV) vaccines be provided free of charge in Turkey.

In her legislative proposal, Ersoy has requested an amendment to the Public Health Law so that the HPV vaccine, which prevents the HPV infection causing cervical cancer, be offered without any payment.

Ersoy has recalled that it is possible to be protected from the HPV, which causes cervical cancer in women, with the HPV vaccine, which is preventive when applied in three doses during childhood. Attracting attention to the high price to be paid for the vaccine, the MP has raised concerns that this payment is not covered by the Social Security Institution (SGK) in Turkey.

'Cervical cancer treatments fall short'

The legislative proposal of the MP has also referred to the data of the World Health Organization (WHO), which has announced that 570 thousand women are diagnosed with cervical cancer across the world every year and over 300 thousand women lose their lives.

As underlined by Ersoy, over 100 countries have included the HPV vaccine in their vaccination programs and offer it free of charge. On the Day of Action for Cervical Cancer Elimination, the WHO raised concerns that cervical cancer treatments have been insufficient as healthcare costs have been channeled to the struggle against COVID-19 in 43 percent of countries.

The WHO data has also shown that the rate of girls vaccinated against the HPV dropped to 13 percent across the world in 2020. Moreover, every nine out of 10 deaths of cervical cancer happen in low- and middle-income countries. HPV vaccine is still not administered in the 80 countries where two out of every three cervical cancer cases are diagnosed.

'Healthcare is a public right'

In her legislative proposal, HDP İstanbul MP Oya Ersoy has stressed that healthcare is a public right and implementing preventive health measures is of considerable importance to protect public health.

Referring to the letter sent by the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) to the Health Ministry and demanding free HPV vaccination in Turkey, Ersoy has noted that nearly 14 million people are infected every year.

The MP has said that the girls in the 9-14 age group must be first vaccinated and recalled that some countries have recently started vaccinating boys as well. She has stressed that the HPV vaccine is a requirement for the right to equal, free and accessible healthcare. (EMK/SD)