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A Gift to My 26-Year-Old Self: Busan Metropolitan City Continues Support for Human Papillomavirus Vaccinations This Year

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Busan Metropolitan City announced that it will provide partial financial support for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination costs for 26-year-old women (born in 1999) who are registered residents of the city.

This program began with the enactment of the Ordinance on Support for Human Papillomavirus Vaccinations in Busan Metropolitan City in 2024 and is implemented each year for women newly reaching the age of 26.

Eligible individuals may receive support of 100,000 won per vaccination, for up to a maximum of three doses. They may choose either the quadrivalent or nine-valent HPV vaccine.

The vaccines used for immunization are highly effective in preventing major diseases caused by HPV infection, including cervical cancer, and are the only vaccines capable of preventing cancer.

Approximately 90 percent of cervical cancer cases and 70 percent of anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers are caused by HPV infection.

Vaccinations administered through December of this year are eligible for financial support, and vaccinations can be received at approximately 340 designated medical institutions across the city.

Given that a minimum of six months is required to complete the full three-dose series, individuals are advised to begin vaccination early.

Support is available regardless of registered address, provided that vaccination is received at a designated medical institution. Information on designated institutions can be found on the city’s infectious disease portal website (busan.go.kr/bsi/index) and on the websites of public health centers in the city’s 16 districts and counties.

The number of doses eligible for support may vary depending on an individual’s vaccination history and the interval between doses. In addition, vaccination fees vary by medical institution, and any amount exceeding the subsidy must be paid by the individual.

Proof of a Busan Metropolitan City address is required as of the vaccination date. Individuals must bring relevant documents, such as a resident registration certificate or an electronic certificate issued through the Government24 application, for identity verification.

Meanwhile, HPV is one of the most common viruses that cause genital infections. In most cases, infections resolve naturally through the body’s immune response without symptoms. However, if high-risk genotypes such as HPV types 16 and 18 persist in the body and cause continuous infection, they may progress to cervical cancer.

Jo Gyu-yul, Director General of the Citizen Health Bureau, stated, “We encourage women born in 1999, who are eligible for support this year, to actively participate in vaccination to build sufficient immunity for their future health.”