Banna HPV drive goes global

A community vaccination campaign launched in Banna, Ilocos Norte, will take the province’s public health experience to the international stage after its human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination model was selected for presentation at the World Hospital Congress in Seoul, South Korea.

Banna Mayor Mary Chrislyn Co Abadilla, MD, will present the province’s HPV vaccination experience during the congress on 18 October, highlighting how Ilocos Norte achieved 90 percent coverage among children aged 9 to 14.

The achievement was driven in part by Banna’s “Banna’s Shield” program, which promoted HPV vaccination as a preventive measure against cervical cancer.

Abadilla said the study was initially submitted as a poster presentation with fellow doctors. Organizers later took interest in the Ilocos Norte model and selected it for an oral presentation.

She said the presentation will focus on the province’s experience in reaching the 90-percent vaccination coverage target recommended by the World Health Organization.

For Abadilla, bringing the Ilocos Norte model to Seoul provides an opportunity to share how local governments can help improve vaccination coverage through community-based initiatives.

The mayor is also set to participate as a panelist in a discussion on cervical cancer elimination in Ilocos Norte on 8 October

The engagements highlight the province’s efforts to strengthen preventive healthcare, particularly through HPV vaccination, which helps protect against infections that can cause cervical cancer.