KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICES REGARDING HPV VACCINATION AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS

Cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancerrelated morbidity and mortality among women worldwide, with over 600,000 new cases and more than 340,000 deaths in 2020 alone [1]. The Human Papillomavirus (HPV), particularly high-risk strains like HPV-16 and HPV-18, is recognized as the principal etiological agent responsible for cervical carcinogenesis [2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the use of prophylactic HPV vaccines as a primary prevention strategy [3], emphasizing their high efcacy in preventing infection with high-risk HPV types, particularly when administered prior to the onset of sexual activity [4].