Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Minister  of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin announced on Wednesday (4/2/2026) that Indonesia will expand its Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program to include 11-year-old boys starting in 2027. 

Speaking during World Cancer Day in Jakarta, the Minister explained that the policy aims to break the chain of transmission, as men can act as carriers of the virus that causes cervical cancer in women. This expansion follows the national program launched in 2023, which primarily targeted young girls.

"By 2027, we will begin vaccinating 11-year-old boys because, while they do not develop cervical cancer, they can transmit the disease to their partners," Minister Budi Gunadi said, as cited by antaranews.com.

The Ministry of Health plans to screen 40 million women for cervical and breast cancer over the next five years across 10,000 community health centers. Authorities aim to reach a 90% vaccination rate for both boys and girls by 2030 to eliminate cervical cancer as a major public health threat in Indonesia.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)