title: Argentina's Successful Implementation Of A National Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Program.
abstract: Every year around fourteen million people globally are infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), the sexually transmitted virus that is the cause of most cervical cancers. A number of vaccines have been developed to protect against HPV, but in many countries, HPV vaccination rates have been low compared with rates for other recommended vaccines. Parental concerns, cost, and lack of information and awareness among both health professionals and parents are cited as important barriers to HPV vaccination. In Argentina the HPV vaccine has been provided to all eleven-year-old girls since 2011 as part of a comprehensive national program to prevent cervical cancer. Coverage increased from negligible levels before 2011 to a national average of 87.9 percent for the first dose, 71.6 percent for the second dose, and 52.2 percent for the third dose in 2013. There was a large variance in HPV vaccine coverage across the country's provinces. This article describes key strategies to overcome barriers to implementation of HPV vaccination and provides recommendations for policy makers.
authors: Hannah Patel is a junior policy fellow at the Centre for Health Policy, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, in the United Kingdom.
authors: Hannah
authors: H
authors: Patel
authors: Ellen Wilson is a research health scientist at RTI International in Durham, North Carolina.
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Wilson
authors: Carla Vizzotti is director of the National Bureau of the Control for Immuno-Preventable Diseases, Ministry of Health of Argentina, in Buenos Aires.
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Vizzotti
authors: Greg Parston is an executive adviser at the Centre for Health Policy, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London.
authors: Greg
authors: G
authors: Parston
authors: Jessica Prestt (j.prestt@imperial.ac.uk) is a policy fellow at the Centre for Health Policy, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London.
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Prestt
authors: Ara Darzi is executive chair of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), Qatar Foundation, and director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London.
authors: Ara
authors: A
authors: Darzi
mesh_terms: D001118:Argentina; D002648:Child; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009313:National Health Programs; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000191:economics; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines
keywords: Health Promotion/Disease Prevention; International/global health studies; Organization and Delivery of Care; Primary Care; Public Health