Jakarta, September 3, 2025 – The Graduate Student Association (HMP) of the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) Universitas Indonesia (UI) held an audience meeting with the Directorate General of Primary and Secondary Education, Ministry of Education of the Republic of Indonesia. The meeting carried the theme “Healthy Environment, Equal Access, Protected Generation” and focused on adolescent reproductive health issues—particularly the integration of HPV vaccination policies into the national education system.
In this forum, HMP FPH UI presented findings from its latest policy brief, which highlights that cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women in Indonesia, with over 36,000 new cases and 21,000 deaths annually. Although HPV vaccination has been proven effective in preventing cervical cancer, coverage in Indonesia remains below 50% due to funding limitations, logistical barriers, low health literacy, and the widespread circulation of misinformation.
The HMP FPH UI delegation emphasized the strategic role of the Ministry of Education in integrating HPV vaccination status into school administration systems, strengthening reproductive health education through curricular modules and school health programs, increasing outreach to parents and students to combat misinformation, and developing mobile vaccination services in underserved areas to ensure equitable access.
HMP FPH UI Chairperson, Muhammad Alfiansyah, stated that this audience session represents a concrete step by graduate students to bridge academic insights with policymaking. “We aim to ensure that the younger generation gains fair, safe, and high-quality access to reproductive health services. Cross-sector synergy among education, health, and community stakeholders is crucial to achieving Indonesia’s target of eliminating cervical cancer by 2030,” said Muhammad.
Meanwhile, Head of the Center for Character Development, Directorate General of Primary and Secondary Education, Ruspita Putri Utami, expressed her appreciation: “We highly commend HMP FPH UI’s initiative. HPV vaccination is a vital issue for youth protection, and the Ministry is committed to strengthening education and integrating reproductive health within schools.”
Echoing this, Wafi Syukri Baraja and Jihan Ramadhany Ginting Manik, Head and Secretary of the Department of Community Advocacy and Studies of HMP FPH UI, emphasized that this effort is only the beginning. “What we are doing today is a concrete first step to advocate for young people’s rights to access reproductive health services—especially HPV vaccination as a critical measure against cancer. Long live healthy, empowered, and resilient women,” they stated.
In closing, HMP FPH UI reaffirmed that the effort to ensure a healthy and protected generation does not end with this meeting. Cross-sector collaboration among government institutions, academia, health professionals, and communities remains the key to improving literacy, expanding access, and strengthening HPV vaccination policy. Through continued advocacy and collective commitment, HMP FPH UI hopes this initiative will mark the beginning of more youth-centered reproductive health policies—paving the way toward a healthier, more prosperous, and empowered generation of Indonesian women. (HMP FPH UI)