TWO health experts have described the spread of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the Philippines and around the globe as a silent pandemic, with one of them urging the public to get vaccinated against the virus, which can lead to cancer.
Transmitted through sexual contact, HPV often resolves on its own for many of the over 100 types.
At least 13 of these types have been identified as cancer-causing. These HPV-associated cancers and diseases include cervical cancer, vaginal and vulvar cancers, penile cancer, anal cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, and genital warts.
“Do you know that this is a silent pandemic? And you are not even aware of it,” said Dr. Stephanie Gail Mesina-Veneracion, an obstetrician and gynecologist, during a forum in Cebu City last Nov. 27, 2023.
Veneracion said HPV poses a substantial threat to individuals worldwide, both men and women, including teenagers.
She said 37.8 million women aged 15 years and older in the Philippines are at risk of developing cervical cancer. Around 2.9 percent of women in the general population are estimated to carry cervical HPV-16/18 infection at any given time, with HPVs 16 or 18 accounting for 58.6 percent of invasive cervical cancers.
Free HPV vaccines
Dr. Jera Armendarez, head of the Non-Communicable Disease Section at the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7), urged the public to get vaccinated against HPV.
She acknowledged that many are unaware of the free HPV vaccine, leading them to seek commercially sold brands.
According to pharmaceutical firms who attended the forum, they offer HPV vaccine for P3,000 per shot.
Armendarez said they collaborated with various stakeholders, offering free vaccines easily accessible at public health centers located in barangays and rural health units, as well as in public hospitals.
She said children aged 9 to 14 of all genders can receive protection against HPV infections linked to later-life cancer.
Teens and young adults up to 26 who haven’t begun or completed the vaccine series are encouraged to get vaccinated. Women up to 45 may qualify after consulting their healthcare provider.
Adolescents aged 9 to 14 receive two vaccine doses, while young adults aged 15 to 26 receive three doses, according to Armendarez.
Armendarez also advocates for early detection by promoting HPV tests and screenings for women, emphasizing that these significantly improve the chances of successfully treating pre-cancers and cancer.
She also mentioned that if patients are diagnosed with cancer, government funding programs are available to provide assistance to those in need.
She said through the Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF), cancer patients are entitled to receive P150,000 annually. The CAF covers diagnostics, treatment and medicines. Cancer patients can also access medicines through the Cancer and Supportive-Palliative Medicine Access Program.
Armendarez added that patients can also avail themselves of the Malaskit Centers program and PhiHealth subsidies, making the whole treatment for cancer patients free,
The health expert revealed that between January and June of this year, 17 cervical cancer patients received aid from CAF at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.