VACCINATION AGAINST HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS (HPV)

VACCINATION AGAINST HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS (HPV)

4.

Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Health whether he will consider (i) implementing the recommendation of the Expert Committee for Immunisation to include the vaccination against the human papilloma virus (HPV) in the childhood immunisation programme; or (ii) subsidising the cost of the vaccine which is still too high for low-income families.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: My Ministry has accepted the recommendation of the Expert Committee on Immunisation (ECI) to include the HPV vaccine in the National Childhood Immunisation Programme for girls aged nine and above. The ECI has further recommended that we encourage the parents to discuss the HPV vaccination with their family doctors, so that they can make an informed decision on whether to vaccinate their daughters. We will adopt the approach as recommended.

Needy parents with financial difficulty can apply for subsidy at the polyclinics, if they find the cost unaffordable.

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