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In the Netherlands, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination was introduced in 2010 in the national immunization programme, targeted towards adolescent girls in the year they turned 13 years old. The selected vaccine is bivalent, targeting HPV types 16 and 18. In 2022, the HPV vaccination programme was extended to boys, with the first round of vaccinations held in March and April 2022.

Within the RIVER-EU project, a series of qualitative studies were conducted to explore health system barriers to vaccination in selected underserved communities. In Slovakia, the study described barriers to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among girls from marginalized Roma communities from the perspective of Roma girls, their parents, and professionals involved in HPV vaccination who serve this population.

Roma are the largest and most disadvantaged ethnic minority in Europe. For centuries, the history of Roma has been marked by intolerance, punitive policies, assimilation and social engineering which has ultimately resulted in the development of marginalized Roma communities.

Ethnic minority groups are one of several underserved populations that have received significant attention in public health for their reported ‘vaccination hesitancy’ and suboptimal vaccination uptake (Dowden, 2019).

RIVER-EU fieldwork with the Finnish Somali community kicked off at the end of 2021. The Finnish Somali community had been identified as an “empowering example” community due to the unexpectedly high vaccination coverage rates the community has achieved for MMR (measles mumps-rubella) vaccines.

On 9 November 2022, RIVER-EU held its first in person General Assembly, almost 1.5 years after the launch of the project.

According to the United Nations an estimated 7.4 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February this year – the fastest exodus of refugees this century.

RIVER-EU project partners are organising two workshops and two poster presentations at the 15th European Public Health Conference.