Thailand is providing free cervical cancer vaccines to girls and young women aged 11–20 years old until the end of April.
Cervical cancer is a silent disease that claims multiple lives each year in Thailand, says deputy government spokeswoman Sasikarn Watthanachan.
The vaccine protects against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted infection that spreads through skin-to-skin contact.
The vaccine, which can reduce the risk of HPV-related cancers and genital warts, is being offered free of charge to young women and girls in Thailand under an inoculation programme supported by the Ministry of Public Health, says Ms Sasikarn.
No pre-registration is required and people in the target demographic, who must show their identification cards, can receive the vaccine at any of the 69 health service centres throughout the country every Wednesday from 1pm to 3pm, until April 30, she says.
The vaccines are also available to Prathom 5 students at schools run by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. City Hall's Health Department is in charge of providing them at the schools.
Ms Sasikarn said the programme is aimed at those never before vaccinated against HPV and those who have been vaccinated for more than 6 months.
