Bulgarian health authorities have noted a serious decline in vaccination against human papillomavirus, as Bulgarian National Radio reported on March 4.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Health considers vaccination against this disease to be the main way to prevent human papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer.
At an expert forum organized by the Human Papillomavirus Action Network of the European Cancer Organization, Deputy Minister of Health, Associate Professor Mikhail Okoliyski, announced a serious decline in so-called immunization coverage over the past 10 years :
“Immunization with the HPV vaccine began in 2013 with 22 percent coverage, but decreased in subsequent years due to strong anti-vaccine movements and campaigns. Thanks to the efforts of the government and the Ministry of Health, we will reach 3 to 4 percent coverage this year and I hope that together we can increase this percentage.”.
March 4, Radio Nacional reports, is International Human Papillomavirus Awareness Day. Infection with the virus is mainly transmitted sexually and the virus is believed to cause about 5 percent of cancer cases worldwide. The HPV vaccine is intended for girls aged 10 to 13, but in Bulgaria it is not included in the mandatory vaccination schedule.
At the end of February, Radio Varna already broadcast comments by infectious disease epidemiology specialist Christiana Batselova about the weakening interest in vaccines against human papillomavirus. Unlike Serbia and North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Romania lag behind in vaccinating girls within certain age limits. Batselova believes that the reason for this is the spread of alarming information, which she calls disinformation and fake news.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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