Indonesia’s Ministry of Health is accelerating the nationwide rollout of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program as part of a serious effort to reduce deaths from cervical cancer, which remains one of the country’s most significant health threats to women.
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized that the situation cannot be underestimated. According to him, cervical cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Indonesian women, after breast cancer.
“Cervical cancer is the second deadliest cancer for women in Indonesia after breast cancer. On average, one Indonesian woman dies from cervical cancer every 25 minutes,” Minister Budi said while opening the Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Forum 2025 in Bali.
His statement underscores the severity of the disease and reinforces the government’s determination to act more aggressively in addressing the problem.
A Drive to Save More Lives
Minister Budi said that after gaining a deeper understanding of the impact of cervical cancer in Indonesia, he became convinced that more decisive measures were needed to save millions of women from the risk of premature death.
“I learned that this disease claims the lives of a great many women in Indonesia,” he said.
Indonesia’s experience in managing the COVID-19 pandemic also influenced the government’s approach to combating cervical cancer. Drawing from that experience, the Health Minister explored the most effective medical solutions and concluded that HPV vaccination is currently the most strategic preventive measure available.
“I studied vaccines and asked whether there was a vaccine for cervical cancer. We launched the national HPV vaccination program in August 2023,” he explained.
More Than Five Million Girls Have Received the HPV Vaccine
Since the program was introduced, it has achieved significant progress. More than five million adolescent girls across Indonesia have already received the HPV vaccine as an early measure to protect them against cervical cancer.
To ensure the program’s long-term sustainability, the government has also partnered with Biofarma through a technology transfer agreement, enabling Indonesia to manufacture the vaccine domestically.
“Biofarma has signed a technology transfer agreement so that we can produce the vaccine in Indonesia,” Minister Budi said.
The initiative is considered crucial for reducing reliance on imported vaccines while strengthening the country’s healthcare resilience, particularly for large-scale immunization programs such as HPV vaccination.
Expanding Screening Through Self-Testing
In addition to vaccination, the government is promoting early detection as another key strategy in preventing cervical cancer.
One of the innovations currently being developed is a self-screening method, allowing women to perform screening without having to visit a healthcare facility.
“We will move toward self-testing for Indonesian women. You won’t have to go to a hospital,” he said.
The approach is expected to expand access to cervical cancer screening, particularly for women living in remote areas or regions with limited access to healthcare services.
International Support
Indonesia’s efforts to combat cervical cancer have also received recognition from the international community.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that eliminating cervical cancer is a global objective that must be achieved as quickly as possible.
“The challenge is no longer what needs to be done, but how quickly, how equitably, and how boldly we are willing to act,” he said.
Tedros also emphasized that no woman should die from a disease that is both preventable and treatable.
“We already have the knowledge to stop this disease through vaccination, screening, and comprehensive treatment,” he added.***
