About 15,000 girls aged ten will be vaccinated free against the human papillomavirus (HPV) in 2017-2018 to prevent cervical cancer. Moldova will get a free consignment of HPV vaccines for two years. The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) accepted the application submitted by the Ministry of Health in this regard, IPN reports.

According to the Ministry, the girls will be vaccinated twice, at an interval of six months. The vaccine helps prevent infection with human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer that is a major health problem in Moldova and worldwide.

The given vaccine is used in 67 countries, including 28 states of the European region of the World Health Organization. According to the application submitted to the GAVI, in 2019-2025 the state will purchase the shots at a lower price through UNICEF.

Nearly all cases of cervical cancer can be attributable to HPV infection. HPV is mainly transmitted through sexual contact and most people are infected with HPV shortly after the onset of sexual activity. The virus is transmitted to women as the men are only carriers.

A number of 3,914 women with cervical cancer were recorded in Moldova in 2015, with 290 of these being new cases. Last year 149 women died from this disease.