Update on HPV Vaccination Policies and Practices in 17 Eastern European and Central Asian Countries and Territories

Davies, Philip; Aluloski, Igor; Aluloski, Diyora; Dizdarevic Maksumic, Adnana; Ghayrat Umarzoda, Saida; Gutu, Veaceslav; Ilmammedova, Maral; Janashia, Ani; Kocinaj-Berisha, Merita; Matylevich, Olga; Pidverbetskyy, Bohdan; Rzayeva, Gulnara; Sahakyan, Gayane; Siljak, Sladjana; Ten, Elena; Veljkovic, Marko; Yildirimkaya, Gokhan; Ylli, Alban; Zhylkaidarova, Alma; Melnic, Eugen

doi:10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.12.4227

Update on HPV Vaccination Policies and Practices in 17 Eastern European and Central Asian Countries and Territories

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

¹ Department of Pathology, State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Nicolae Testemițanu”, Republic of Moldova.

² University Clinic for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Faculty, University “Sv. Kiril i Metodij”, Republic of North Macedonia.

³ Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

⁴ Social Medicine Specialist, Public Health Institute of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegowina.

⁵ Department of Oncology, Radiation Diagnostics and Radiation Therapy, Tajik Medical University, Tajikistan.

⁶ Immunization Program Manager, Moldovan National Agency of Public Health, Republic of Moldova.

⁷ Chief Obstetrician, Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan.

⁸ Division of Immunization, Department of Communicable Diseases, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Georgia.

⁹ Department for Social Medicine, National Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pristina, Kosovo.

¹⁰ Department of Gynecologic Oncology, NN Alexandrov National Cancer Centre, Belarus.

¹¹ SRH Project Officer, UNFPA Country Office for Ukraine, Ukraine.

¹² Department of Ambulatory and Diagnostic Services, Scientific Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baku, Azerbaijan.

¹³ National Immunization Program Manager, Ministry of Health, Armenia.

¹⁴ Public Health Institute of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

¹⁵ Sector of Medico-Social Investigations, National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Kyrgyzstan.

¹⁶ Department for Vaccine Preventable Disease surveillance and Immunization, Institute of Public Health of Serbia, Dr Milan Jovanovic Batut, Serbia.

¹⁷ National Program Coordinator, UNFPA Country Office for Türkiye, Türkiye.

¹⁸ Department of Public Health and Non Communicable Diseases, Institute of Public Health, Albania.

¹⁹ Department of Monitoring and Evaluation of Cancer Care and Screening, Kazakh Institute of Oncology and Radiology, Kazakhstan.

10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.12.4227

Abstract

Background: In 2021, a survey was conducted as part of the regional program of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) to assess the policies and practices relating to HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening in the 17 countries and territories included in this region. Since then, very substantial progress has been made with HPV vaccination across the region so another survey was conducted establish the current situation. Methods: A 10 question survey covering the policies, plans and practices for HPV vaccination was prepared. As cervical cancer prevention is a priority for the UNFPA, its offices in the 17 countries and territories included in this study are well placed to identify the people who can provide authoritative data for this survey. Working with the UNFPA offices, the questionnaires were sent to these national experts in May 2023, with data collected until 30 June 2023. All countries and territories returned completed questionnaires. Results: In the period from 30 June 2021 to 30 June 2023, the number of countries and territories that have implemented or are implementing HPV vaccination programs has doubled. As of 30 June 2021, only 6 of 17 countries and territories had implemented national HPV vaccination programmes, and by 30 June 2023, another 6 could be added to this list. Of the 4 countries with sub-optimal vaccination coverage rates in 2021, none showed substantial improvement over the 2-year period. Conclusions: The implementation of HPV vaccination programs across the region is progressing very rapidly with ≈70% of the countries and territories implementing or having implemented national programs. However, greater attention needs to be given to ensuring that both the old and the new programs will achieve high coverage rates.

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