The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has announced plans to provide free vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for boys, marking the first time such an initiative will be extended to males. Furthermore, to enhance flu prevention among adolescents, the government will expand the age range for free influenza vaccinations from below 13 to below 14 years old.
The KDCA has allocated a budget of 1.3312 trillion KRW for the upcoming year, representing a 5.1% increase from the current year’s budget of 1.2661 trillion KRW. This new budget plan includes expanded national vaccination programs for HPV and influenza. Previously, HPV vaccinations were available to females aged 12 to 26 to prevent cervical and oropharyngeal cancers. Now, 12-year-old boys will also be eligible, acknowledging that the HPV virus can cause other conditions such as anal cancer, oral cancer, and genital warts, and can also be transmitted through sexual contact, necessitating male vaccination.
For flu prevention, the agency plans to increase the influenza vaccine target age from 13 to 14 years old, addressing the fact that adolescents in group settings significantly contribute to the spread of the flu. By increasing influenza vaccination in this age group, herd immunity can be strengthened, helping to curb outbreaks. The influenza budget for adolescents has been increased from 500 billion to 546 billion KRW.
Additionally, to address national public health crises caused by infectious diseases, the KDCA will advance the establishment of regional infectious disease specialist hospitals, allocating 172 billion KRW for this initiative next year. The agency is also planning to double its budget for storing smallpox vaccines, a potential biological weapon, from 14 billion to 27 billion KRW.
KDCA Commissioner Lim Seung-kwan emphasized that the upcoming budget focuses on strengthened core functions of the KDCA, such as expanding essential national vaccinations for disease prevention and enhancing the surveillance and response systems for future pandemics. He also highlighted the agency’s fiscal strategy to reduce non-essential expenses and improve efficiency in regular programs, ensuring that the necessary funds for key projects are adequately provided to safely protect citizens from infectious diseases and other health threats.