The legal framework
Hong Kong introduced free HPV vaccination for primary school girls in 2019 through the childhood immunisation programme. Cervical screening is recommended for women aged 25 to 64 who have ever had sex, with an interval that depends on whether cytology or HPV testing is used.
Hong Kong provides free HPV vaccination to girls through the school immunisation programme, and subsidises cervical screening through a government scheme with participating private doctors. Screening now uses HPV testing as the primary method for women aged thirty and above, with longer intervals between tests.
Key points
| School programme | Free for primary school girls since 2019 |
|---|---|
| Boys | Not included in the public programme; available privately |
| Screening | Recommended from 25 to 64 for anyone who has had sex |
| Interval | Three years with cytology, five years with HPV testing |
| Providers | Government clinics, NGOs and private practice |
| Cost | Government and NGO screening is low cost; private is considerably higher |
| Register | A cervical screening information system holds records and reminders |
In practice
- Use a government or NGO clinic for screening: the cost difference with private practice is large.
- Ask for HPV testing if you prefer a longer interval.
- Boys are not covered by the public programme — vaccination is a private decision.
- Vaccination does not replace screening.
Cost and coverage
The school programme is free; government and NGO screening is low cost.
Where to go
- Department of Health maternal and child health centres and woman health centres.
- Family Planning Association clinics.
- School health service for the vaccination programme.
Worth knowing
The public programme covers girls only. Parents who want a son vaccinated should expect to pay privately and plan for it.
Frequently asked questions
Are boys vaccinated in Hong Kong?
The government school programme covers girls; boys are not included, though the vaccine is available privately. Professional bodies have argued for extension, and the cost privately runs to several thousand Hong Kong dollars for the full course.
Why vaccinate boys as well as girls?
Because HPV causes cancers of the penis, anus and throat as well as the cervix, and genital warts in both sexes — and because high coverage in both sexes cuts transmission for everyone far faster than vaccinating girls alone. Programmes that include boys reach population-level protection years earlier, which is why almost every country that started with girls has since extended it.
Official sources and links
- GovHK — official government portal