Dobong-gu in Seoul has ranked first among the city's 25 autonomous districts in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates for 12-year-old boys, just two months after the national free vaccination program was extended to include them, district mayor Kim Dong-wook announced.
The national HPV vaccination support program, previously limited to girls and young women aged 12 to 26, was expanded on May 6 to cover 12-year-old boys as well.
Two months into the expansion, Dobong-gu's HPV vaccination rate for 12-year-old boys stands at 20.8%, well above the Seoul average of 14.6% and the national average of 17.4%.
The district's vaccination rate for 12-year-old girls has also performed strongly, reaching 39.6% — more than double both the Seoul average of 13.5% and the national average of 16.0%.
Dobong-gu ranks first in Seoul for both age groups.
Officials attributed the results to consistent outreach and proactive public awareness campaigns.
Particularly effective was a daily text message campaign targeting unvaccinated children that began as soon as the expanded program launched, which officials said helped raise awareness and participation among parents.
"Dobong-gu has achieved the No. 1 spot in Seoul for senior flu vaccinations for six consecutive years through active outreach and promotion — a testament to our commitment to residents' health and infectious disease prevention," Kim said. "We will redouble our efforts on HPV vaccination for adolescents and see it through so that young people can grow up healthy."
The HPV vaccine protects against a range of conditions caused by the virus, including cervical cancer, anal cancer, oropharyngeal cancer and genital warts. Those eligible under the national vaccination program can receive the vaccine free of charge at designated medical institutions nearby.
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