Lili Asenova is the president of the National Association for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer. She herself faced the disease at a tender age, only 24 years old. Thanks to her adequate reaction to undertake research and look for a competent doctor, after strictly following the recommendations of the specialists, she managed to defeat the disease. Since then, she has devoted herself to helping women fight cervical cancer and raising awareness of ways to prevent the disease. The vaccine against HPV, the main cause of cervical cancer, is already reimbursed by the NHIF. How would you comment on this step by the state? In fact, our efforts in this direction have been going on for years. In the last year, there has been a good dialogue between the country’s top specialists for this localization of cancer, the non-governmental sector and the media, which has shown that when we come together and put efforts in one direction, they are crowned with success. Initially, our efforts were aimed at making vaccines part of the Immunization Calendar for girls at the age of 12, before puberty. But because of the anti-vaccination sentiments that are observed in our country, as well as the experience of the European and Balkan countries, we took the initiative to transfer them to the National Health Insurance Fund. This enables HPV vaccination to be undertaken by those who are willing and aware of the need for a good preventive measure against cervical cancer for themselves or their child. The cost of the vaccine is known to be high, and providing it would make it difficult for many willing families. NEWS_MORE_BOX The fact is that the state allocated BGN 2 million for this purpose. What do you think about the HPV vaccine? I have no doubt about the efficacy and safety of the vaccine. I have known the benefit to society of its application long before it appeared on our market. We have forgotten that epidemics of the most dangerous diseases of humanity, such as measles, tuberculosis, etc., are prevented today and do not take victims, compared to the past, precisely thanks to the mass immunization of the population against them.