On Sept 14, the launch ceremony of the free HPV vaccination for girls below 14 years old program in Maoming and an HPV vaccination publicity activity were held at Maoming New Century School.

The launch ceremony of the free HPV vaccination for girls below 14 years old program in Maoming is held on Sept 14. [Photo/WeChat account: maofabu]

Guangdong is the first province in the country to provide free HPV vaccinations throughout the province. A number of cities in Guangdong province have started administering domestically made 2-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines free to female first-year junior high school students below 14 years old.

Girls wait to get the HPV vaccine. [Photo/WeChat account: maofabu]

The program, aimed at preventing cervical cancer, is expected to benefit more than 750,000 girls per year in Guangdong, according to the provincial health commission.

The first dose will be administered between September and November and the second dose in March and April next year.

The provincial government issued a work plan in November and allocated 600 million yuan ($86.1 million) for this purpose, with city governments working out detailed plans afterward.

Currently, three types of HPV vaccines 2-valent, 4-valent, and 9-valent are available in China, named after the number of viral strains they protect against. The 9-valent vaccine is the most sought-after but harder to get due to supply constraints.

The 2-valent and 4-valent vaccines are suitable for wide age groups. When facing a shortage of 9-valent doses, it is important to receive the other two alternatives at an early age to expand immunization coverage.

At the vaccination site, female students in the first-year junior high school were accompanied by their parents to receive the HPV vaccination. Xiao, who has just finished her vaccination, said that HPV vaccinations can effectively prevent the occurrence of cervical cancer, which is very positive for young people.