Minister Okoliyski: I Vaccinated My Two Daughters Against HPV – This Is the Strongest Argument

The Deputy Minister of Health, Assoc. Prof. Mikhail Okoliyski, stated that his personal choice as a parent is the strongest evidence in support of HPV vaccination. This was reported by the Ministry of Health following a press conference marking the third anniversary of the establishment of the HPV Coalition.

“I am a father of two daughters. Both are vaccinated against HPV. For me, that says it all. As a parent, I would not have made this choice if I did not believe unconditionally in the safety, quality, and benefits of immunization,” stated Assoc. Prof. Okoliyski.

According to him, 18,495 free HPV vaccines were administered in our country in 2025, of which 14,507 were for girls and 3,988 for boys. “This shows that the topic is reaching more families, but also that there is still much more to be done,” the Minister emphasized.

Despite the progress, Bulgaria remains with some of the lowest levels of vaccination coverage in the region – between 0.2% and 4.2%. In comparison, coverage in Slovenia reaches approximately 86%, while in countries such as Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Albania, it is between 60% and 75%.

“Behind these percentages are tens of thousands of children whom we can protect today,” Okoliyski pointed out, emphasizing that the HPV vaccine is key to the prevention of cervical cancer.

During the event, the White Paper of the Swedish Institute for Health Economics was also presented, which proposes specific measures to improve vaccination, screening, and early diagnosis with the aim of eliminating the disease.