HPV vaccination to prevent cancers

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With the approval of India’s first indigenously developed Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, the Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday urged parents to get their children vaccinated to prevent different types of cancers.
“We have an amazing opportunity to prevent certain types of cancers in future generations through HPV vaccination,” DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan said in a statement.
“According to a Swedish study, the HPV vaccine was found to prevent 90 per cent of cervical cancers,” he said.
Dr Hassan said since the introduction of the HPV vaccine, countries like the US, the UK and Australia have significantly reduced cases of cervical cancer.
“However, cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in low and middle income countries,” he said.
According to WHO, India accounts for about a fifth of the global burden for cervical cancer, witnessing 1,23,000 cases and around 6,700 deaths every year, Dr Hassan said.
The DAK President said about 70 to 80 per cent of oropharyngeal cancers, which mostly occur in men, were linked to HPV infection.
Dr Nisar said both boys and girls from the age of 9-14 years should receive HPV vaccine.

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