DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Minister of Public Health Víctor Atallah officially integrated the Nonavalent (9-valent) vaccine into the National Vaccination Schedule on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, making the Dominican Republic one of the few nations in the Americas to offer this advanced level of protection against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Minister Atallah is known for his preventive slant to medicine since he was sworn in on 24 January 2024.

The Ministry of Public Health sees this transition as a “transcendental step” in the fight to eradicate cervical cancer and other HPV-related conditions in the country.

The new vaccine (sold in the USA as Gardasil 9) replaces the previous quadrivalent (4-valent) version. It is available immediately and free of charge for boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 14 at Ministry of Public Health vaccination stations.

Broadened protectionThe Nonavalent...