Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Catch-up Programme
2024-12-09
The Department of Health (DH) has launched the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Catch-up Programme in the 2024/25 school year to offer a one-off catch-up HPV vaccination to eligible female Hong Kong residents born between 2004 and 2008.This Catch-up Programme will be implemented in three phases for about two years. The first phase has commenced in December 2024. Details of the second and third phases will be announced in due course. |
About the Current HPV Programme
HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer as well as other HPV-related cancers or diseases and is generally safe. In response to the recommendation by World Health Organization’s (WHO), the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the DH has been providing the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to Primary 5 and Primary 6 school girls as part of the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme (HKCIP) since the 2019/2020 school year.
Under the current HPV programme, the first dose of HPV vaccine is given via outreach by the DH's School Immunisation Teams (SIT) to eligible Primary Five female students at their schools, and a second dose is given to the girls when they reach Primary Six in the following school year. If students miss the vaccination at schools, they could attend SIT sub-offices or a Student Health Service Centre for mop-up vaccination.
About the Catch-up Programme
In 2022, the WHO further suggested to provide HPV catch-up vaccination to girls aged between 9 and 18.
Having reviewed scientific evidences regarding efficacy and safety of HPV vaccine, recommendations from the World Health Organization and overseas experiences, as well as local studies on acceptability and cost-effectiveness in respect of HPV vaccination, the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) under the CHP also agreed earlier to expand the target group of HPV vaccination to older girls aged 18 or below.
With an aim to gradually boost the herd immunity of the community against high-risk HPV infection to prevent cervical cancer, the Government plans to implement a one-off HPV vaccination programme to provide catch-up vaccination to eligible female Hong Kong residents born between 2004 and 2008 and have not been covered by the HKCIP.
Each of the eligible person can receive two doses of vaccination for free, while immunocompromised person have to receive three doses (free of charge) of vaccination.
The programme will be implemented in three phases for about two years. The first phase has commenced in December 2024. Details of the second and the third phase will be announced in due course.
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions.
Eligibility
Female students (i.e. those who have not completed the HPV vaccination series) in Hong Kong who fulfil the following criteria are eligible to receive HPV vaccination free of charge through the Catch-up Programme:
|
Phase |
#Targeted Vaccine Recipients (Born between 2004 and 2008) |
Via |
|
I |
Full-time female students (including secondary sections of special schools) studying Secondary 5 or above (or equivalent grade) in Hong Kong |
Outreach Vaccination Teams |
|
II |
Female Hong Kong residents studying in local post-secondary institutions or universities who were born between 2004 and 2008 |
To Be Announced |
|
III |
Female Hong Kong residents born between 2004 and 2008 who have completed their studies in Hong Kong |
To Be Announced |
# All eligible persons participating in this programme must have been registered with eHealth.
Click here Information for Schools |
Click here Information for Doctors |
Enquiry
Programme Management and Vaccination Division
Tel: 2125 2125
Email: vacs@dh.gov.hk
Office Hours: Monday to Friday 09:00-17:30 hours. No service on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday.