HPV vaccination. In Kenya, cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women. This is despite it being the most preventable form of cancer.
Health officials have raised concerns over a
drastic fall in the uptake of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among
girls.
This
trend, the health practitioners warned, could reverse progress made in the fight
against cervical cancer.
According
to Murang’a County Vaccinations Coordinator Veronica Kang’ethe, less than a quarter of
eligible girls in the county received the HPV jab in 2024.
“Data shows
that only 18.72 per cent of girls between ages 10 and 14 got the first dose
(HPV1) while 27.43 per cent received the second dose (HPV2),” she revealed during an immunisation stakeholders’ meeting
held on Wednesday in a Murang’a hotel.
The rate, Kang’ethe noted, marks a steep decline from 2023, when uptake stood at 53 per cent for HPV1 and 37.31 per cent for HPV2.
“This is
worrying because cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among
women, yet it is largely preventable through HPV vaccination,” added the
coordinator.
She
explained that myths, misinformation, and hesitancy among parents have slowed
down HPV coverage, unlike other childhood vaccines, which have seen relatively
higher uptake.
“For
instance, more than 80 per cent of children in Murang’a received the pentavalent
vaccine in 2024, and 76 per cent got the measles-rubella jab,” she observed.
However,
Kang’ethe stressed that HPV prevention is just as critical, since the virus is
linked to nearly all cervical cancer cases.
She urged
school managers, members of the clergy, and community leaders to support the government’s immunisation campaign, noting that the vaccine is safe
and has been proven to protect girls later in life.
“Parents must
understand that HPV vaccination is not about encouraging early sexual activity;
it is about shielding their daughters from cancer in the future,” she said.
With coverage
for HPV vaccines declining at a time when other vaccines are showing steady gains, Kang’ethe urged Murang’a parents to adopt all vaccines offered under
the National Vaccines and Immunisation Programme (NVIP).
The
programme currently protects against more than 14 childhood
diseases, including polio, malaria in selected countries, and rabies, as well as
specialised products like anti-snake venom.
She stressed
that the aim of the programme is not only to save lives today but also to
protect future generations.
“If we do not
act now, we risk reversing the progress we have made in protecting our children
and our communities,” she emphasised.