This archive report was first published on 21 October 2019.
Kenya has become the latest country to join the fight against cervical cancer, launching a mass vaccination program for girls against the human papilloma virus (HPV). According to the World Health Organization, the East Africa region has the highest rate of cervical cancer in the world.
On Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta officially launched the HPV vaccination program in the coastal town of Mombasa, marking a major milestone in the country's efforts to combat non-communicable diseases.
The vaccine will be administered free to all 10-year-old girls as part of the country's routine immunization schedule. Girls will receive two doses of the vaccine, six months apart.
President Kenyatta emphasized the importance of the vaccine, saying, "Access to the HPV vaccine by our girls will lead to the reduction of the number of new cervical cancer cases and secure the lives of our daughters and sisters." He added, "This means that our young women who are critical to the future of our nation will be protected from early deaths."
The vaccinations are expected to cost around $7.7 million this year, according to the Ministry of Health. Dr. Collins Tabu, head of the National Vaccine Immunization Program in Kenya, highlighted the benefits of the program, stating that it has the potential to cut back the burden of cervical cancer by close to 70 percent if a good enough coverage of about 80 percent is achieved.
Kenya has been slow to adopt the vaccine, possibly due to debates around its safety. However, at least 115 other countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, have already made the vaccine a part of their routine immunization schedule. Rwanda has nearly eliminated cervical cancer thanks to the vaccine.
During the launch, President Kenyatta dismissed claims that the HPV vaccine might be unsafe, saying, "Let us not fight science."
