Anna Hartz
The Vaccine Is Free—But Still Ignored.
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When Romania first launched its HPV vaccination program in 2008, hopes were high.
It was among the first in Europe to offer the vaccine for free to girls aged 9 to 11.
But the campaign failed. Out of 110,000 girls, only 2,600 received the vaccine, reports Hotnews. People didn’t trust it. There wasn’t enough information. The idea never took off.
Now, more than a decade later, things are changing. Since 2020, Romania has once again been offering free HPV vaccines for teenage girls.
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In December 2023, the program expanded. Girls and boys between 11 and 18 can now get the vaccine for free. Women aged 19 to 45 can get it at half price.
That’s a big deal. Every year, 3,500 women in Romania are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Half of them die.
Most of these cases could be prevented by a vaccine that protects against the Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV.
HPV is a very common virus. Most people come into contact with it at some point in their lives.
Often, the body clears the infection on its own. But when it doesn’t, it can lead to cancer. Not just cervical cancer, but also cancer of the throat, penis, anus, and vulva.
Since the new program started, more than 42,000 women aged 19–45 have been vaccinated.
That’s out of a possible 2.8 million. Over 30,000 boys and girls between 11 and 18 have also received the vaccine.
Doctors say vaccination is most effective before a person becomes sexually active. But it can still help later in life, because people can get infected more than once, with different types of the virus.
To truly stop HPV-related cancers, vaccination alone isn’t enough. Screening also matters.
Cervical cancer takes years to develop. Regular checkups can catch it early and save lives.
Health experts in Romania are hopeful. They say trust in the vaccine is growing.
If more people get vaccinated, fewer families will lose mothers, sisters, or daughters to a disease that can be prevented.
