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Peru Launches Free Single-Dose HPV Vaccine Drive for Ages 9–18

A major funding push signals a shift to school clinics that aim to close vaccine gaps.

Overview

  • Peru’s 2026 HPV campaign, launched Wednesday at Melitón Carvajal school in Lince with the president and cabinet present, offers a free single-dose shot nationwide to children and teens 9 to 18.
  • The rollout starts with in-school visits to reach 10- to 18-year-olds who have never been vaccinated, then moves to routine shots for children who turn 10 in 2026.
  • The program uses the nonavalent vaccine, which guards against nine high-risk HPV types, and it targets full coverage using Peru’s RENIEC registry to track who still needs a dose.
  • The health minister said the government will provide 700 million soles to strengthen immunization and will add a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus to the schedule.
  • Officials report more than 4.6 million HPV doses given from 2019 to 2025 and about 84% coverage among girls 9 to 14, setting a base to cut future cervical cancer cases.