Health x Wellness
HPV Doesn’t Discriminate: NTU Students Empower Young Men with Awareness Campaign
In a bid to address the often-overlooked issue of HPV among males, a group of final-year students from NTU’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) has launched an innovative campaign titled “Dude, Get Vaxxed: Take a Shot against HPV“.
Targeting young men aged 21 to 26, this initiative aims to raise awareness about the importance of HPV vaccination for males.
HPV prevention in Singapore currently focuses on females, with Medisave subsidies and the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule primarily benefiting them. However, a consensus statement on HPV vaccination for men in Singapore emphasizes the necessity of vaccinating males as well. With 31 percent of men globally infected with any HPV type and 21 percent with high-risk types, gender-neutral vaccination programmes could significantly reduce HPV prevalence—by 35 percent in males and 18 percent in females.
To promote this critical message, “Dude, Get Vaxxed” has partnered with the Society for Men’s Health, Singapore (SMHS) and Speedoc. Through social media outreach and on-ground activations held on 11 and 13 January at 313@Somerset and NTU, the campaign encourages men to take proactive measures against HPV and its associated health risks.
Experiencing the Odds of HPV
The campaign featured interactive activities to drive home the message of HPV’s prevalence. Attendees participated in a draw box activity symbolising the odds of contracting HPV—approximately 1 in 3 men globally.
By reaching into a box containing 60 balls (20 blue representing those unaffected and 40 non-blue representing those affected), participants won campaign-branded merchandise if they drew a non-blue ball. This activity served as a powerful visual reminder of HPV’s widespread impact among males.
Your Why Matters: Motivations for Vaccination
Another highlight was the “Your Why Matters” board, where attendees shared their reasons for getting vaccinated against HPV. Participants selected coloured sticky notes representing different motivations (Green for Body, Blue for Future, Red for Relationships) and attached them to a communal board. This visual representation sparked conversations about the personal reasons behind HPV protection, emphasising the importance of vaccination for overall health, future well-being, and relationships.
Pledging Commitment to HPV Protection
The campaign garnered significant engagement, with over 600 attendees across two activations and 131 pledges from male attendees. A 180cm-tall male silhouette standee functioned as an interactive pledge board, where pledgers pasted custom-designed stickers to signify their commitment to HPV protection. As of 22 January, five attendees registered for their first dose of the 9-valent HPV vaccine, marking a promising start to the campaign’s impact.
“I always thought HPV only affected females, so I was really surprised to learn that males could get it too while we were researching topics for our final year project. It opened our eyes to how overlooked this issue is, and we knew we had to take action to address this silent epidemic,” said Lim Yu Ting, a male member of the campaign. “Change in perception takes time, but we hope to kickstart the first step to inspiring greater awareness and understanding. Through this campaign, we hope to spark meaningful conversations and challenge the misconceptions surrounding HPV in time to come.”
Pictures credit to the Dude, Get Vaxxed: Take a Shot against HPV campaign and team.
