Saxony-Anhalt conquers vaccination peak: HPV protection for children!

Saxony-Anhalt conquers vaccination peak: HPV protection for children!

In Saxony-Anhalt, remarkable progress is celebrated in health care. The vaccination rate against Humane Papillom viruses (HPV) is in first place in Germany. According to [sachsen-anhalt.de] (https://ms.sachsen-anhalt.de/aktuelles/news-detail/Hpv- vaccination-sachsen-anhalt-nmt-gunde-spitze position-71.2 % of girls under 15 years and 49.9 % of boys in this age group are fully vaccinated. This is an important sign, because HP viruses are widespread and can become a serious health threat to those who can in the worst case lead to cervical cancer and cancer in the mouth and throat space.

"We still have to do everything we can to ensure the best possible vaccination protection," emphasizes Minister of Health Petra Grimm-Benne. In fact, around 8,000 new cancer cases in Germany are due to HPV infections. The constant vaccination commission (STIKO) recommends the HPV vaccination for girls and boys from the age of nine-and this should ideally happen before the first sexual experiences.

vaccination rates in a nationwide comparison

A look at the nationwide vaccination rates shows a worrying stagnation. According to [Krankenkassenzentrale.de] (https://www.krankenkassenzentrale.de/insight/hpv-impfquoten-in-deutschland-2024-stagnation-regional-Unterchiede- und-action need), only 49.5 % of the 15-year-old girls were fully vaccinated against HPV, which is far behind the WHO target of 90 %. For the boys, the vaccination rate is only 30 %, despite the existing recommendations since 2018. Saxony-Anhalt stands out here significantly, with a vaccination rate in girls of 65.7 % and an increase in boys from only 7 % in 2019 to now 47 %.

It cannot be overlooked that there are serious differences in some regions of Germany. While in places such as Offenbach am Main or Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen the vaccination rates fluctuate between 26.5 and 27 %, a completely different story is shown in Saxony-Anhalt: the districts of Börde and Jerichower Land lead the list with over 75 %.

Enlightenment and commitment are required

Basically, the need for intensive clarification is undisputed. The Saxony-Anhalt Cancer Society also emphasizes that too few children are vaccinated, although complete vaccination not only protects against cancer, but can also be made up for from the age of nine. It is extremely important that parents and young people are informed comprehensively in order to further increase the vaccination rates and prevent unnecessary illnesses.

Minister Grimm-Benne continues to emphasize the effectiveness of the vaccinations to combat infectious diseases. The State Association for Health in Saxony-Anhalt has been accompanying the implementation of health goals for some time and has launched numerous model projects to improve information and education. It remains hope that the topic vaccinated by such committed measures in the population will become more important.

Overall, the situation in Saxony-Anhalt shows that it is possible to achieve a high vaccination rate if the will and the collaboration of everyone involved are given. Enlightenment, commitment and preventive measures are the key to successfully conducting the fight against HPV and its consequences. This is the only way to protect and promote health in the future.