MANILA, Philippines - Despite available shots to help prevent cervical cancer and genital warts, most Filipinos still fail to take advantage of vaccination due to the generally low level of appreciation for the value of prevention.
“Human Papillomavirus or HPV, let alone the HPV vaccine, remains unfamiliar to the general population,” admits Dr. May Montellano of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination and immediate past president of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines.
“In my experience of explaining the relative risks and benefits of vaccination, I have found that some people would hastily dismiss the option,” said Dr. Montellano. “These people look at the cost and disregard the value of preventing potentially recurrent diseases such as genital warts, and even fatal diseases like cervical cancer that could be more costly to manage and treat in the long run.”
Dr. May Montellano, one of the most active advocates of preventive vaccination in the Philippines, has joined a chorus of medical professionals, support groups, and celebrities in a concerted effort to raise awareness about HPV and the ways to help prevent HPV-related diseases. Launched early this year by global pharmaceutical company MSD, UP-PGH OB-Infectious Disease Section, the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists of the Philippines, the Philippine Society of Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy, and Carewell, the campaign, dubbed Help Fight HPV, seeks to empower Filipinos in the battle against one of the most common and insidious viruses that threaten their health.
According to US data, at least 50 percent of sexually active males and females will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives. While most clear on their own, some infections persist and may lead to serious diseases.
Notably, HPV is a highly communicable infection behind virtually all cases of cervical cancer, which is estimated to claim the lives of 12 Filipino women each day. HPV may also lead to other cancers such as vulvar, vaginal, anal, and penile cancer as well as genital warts. Genital warts affect about 32 million men and women worldwide annually.
To know more about HPV diseases, HPV vaccines, and other ways to ward off infection, consult your doctor and log on to www.helpfighthpv.com.