Missing for two months... HPV kit crisis at women's hospital

While the HPV vaccine application, which has drawn attention following public awareness campaigns, is becoming more widespread, it has emerged that the kits required for screening at the Zeynep Kamil Women and Children's Diseases Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul have been unavailable for two months.

Gynecologist Prof. Dr. Cem Baykal commented on this shortage, stating, "If domestic production is not sufficient, they must import them," and emphasized that the current situation is unacceptable.

According to a report by Sarya Toprak from BirGün, patients who provided samples for HPV testing at Zeynep Kamil Hospital were warned that test results might not be available due to the current kit shortage. Patients were informed that if results could not be obtained, they would need to have their tests repeated at another hospital.

Despite applications made to the Provincial Health Directorate, no response has been received yet. However, the hospital administration confirmed that the problem had persisted for two months and that new kits have been procured.

Prof. Dr. Baykal criticized the current situation, expressing doubts regarding the diagnostic values of domestic kits and noting that young women, in particular, are hesitant to go to state hospitals. He also stated that access to tests, which must be performed regularly to prevent cervical cancer, is being made difficult.

The issue of the HPV vaccine, which the Ministry of Health is working on but has not yet taken concrete steps toward, remains on the agenda. The promise to include the vaccine in the national vaccination schedule has not been fulfilled, and the cost of the vaccine poses a significant burden. However, as a result of lawsuits filed for the reimbursement of the HPV vaccine by the Social Security Institution (SGK), precedent-setting decisions have been made, and courts have ruled for the reimbursement of the vaccine's cost.

News Source: 12punto