LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-In a renewed effort to eliminate cervical cancer, Ministry of Health has launched a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign, running from October 27 to 31..
The campaign is targeting girls 9 to 18 across the country targeting 2,507,584.
The campaign will be conducted in both public and private schools as well as all health facilities in both
rural ,urban areas and communities.
It aims to ensure that every girl who has been eligible for the HPV vaccine since its introduction in 2019 can now receive it.
Speaking during a media training session Mponera in Dowa, Dr. Dafrossa Lyimo, a consultant from the World Health Organization (WHO), highlighted the importance of the initiative in reducing cervical cancer cases in Malawi.
“Malawi records an estimated 2,300 new cervical cancer cases and 1,600 deaths each year. If no action is taken, projections show these numbers could rise to 22,543 new cases and 15,705 deaths by 2030,” Dr. Lyimo said.
She noted that despite the HPV vaccine being introduced in 2019, coverage remains low, leaving many adolescent girls unprotected.
Dr. Lyimo added that the ongoing campaign will be school-based, covering both public and private institutions, to reach as many eligible girls as possible.
Ministry of Health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe urged all eligible girls to get vaccined during the campaign emphazing the life long benefits of the vaccine.
“We are calling on parents and guardians to bring their children for vaccination. This campaign will help protect them for a lifetime,” Chikumbe said.
He also applauded Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for its generous support, which has made it possible to reach many districts across the country.
“We are grateful to Gavi for the donation that enables us to reach more communities nationwide,” Chikumbe added.
The ministry of health is championing the campaign in collaboration with various partners including World Health Organization (WHO)UNICEF, Amref Health Africa, with support funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
The Ministry expressed hope that this renewed nationwide effort will boost vaccination coverage and move Malawi closer to its goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health threat.
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