During the inaugural Star Health Translation Congress in October, the Ministry of Health announced it will switch from a two-dose regimen to a single-dose HPV vaccine, a change backed by local data showing sufficient protection with one shot.A major global drive led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has
prevented more than 1 million future deaths from cervical cancer in
lower-income countries, according to a statement from the organisation.
The campaign has also
protected an estimated 86 million girls through HPV vaccination, reaching its
target ahead of schedule, Gavi said.
“In 2023, Gavi, in partnership with countries across the
world, launched an ambitious campaign to protect 86 million girls against the
primary cause of cervical cancer … Thanks to incredible commitment … we have
now reached that target ahead of schedule,” said Gavi CEO Dr Sania Nishtar.
Gavi’s revitalised HPV vaccination programme, re-launched in
2023, is estimated to have averted 1.4 million deaths. By the end of 2025, the
vaccine will be available in countries where 89 per cent of global cervical
cancer cases currently occur.
Cervical cancer disproportionately affects women in
low-income nations, where screening and treatment services are often limited.
According to Gavi, these countries account for 90 per cent of the 350,000
cervical cancer deaths recorded in 2022. The HPV vaccine, which protects
against the human papillomavirus (HPV), the main cause of cervical cancer, is
highly effective: Gavi estimates it averts 17.4 deaths per 1,000 children
vaccinated.
Between 2014 and 2024, the HPV vaccine programme generated
US$2.32 billion in economic benefits across 43 supported countries, the
statement said.
To make the vaccine affordable, Gavi used its market-shaping
expertise to drive down costs. Now, in supported countries, the price per dose
ranges between US$2.90 and US$5.18, compared with over US$100 in some other
markets. Gavi said it also helped to spur manufacturers to scale up supply, and
mobilised governments and communities to deliver the vaccine effectively.
A key turning point came in 2022 when the World Health
Organization (WHO) officially recommended a single-dose HPV schedule, instead
of the previous two-dose regimen, doubling the reach with the same supply.
Kenya has made progress in its fight against cervical
cancer, but challenges remain. According to the Ministry of Health, Kenya
records about 5,236 new cervical cancer cases annually, and around 3,211
deaths, making it the second most frequent cancer among women in the country.
Despite national efforts, uptake of the HPV vaccine in Kenya
has faced setbacks. Data from the Ministry of Health shows that coverage for
the first HPV dose stood at about 60 per cent by the end of 2024, while
second-dose coverage was around 38 per cent.
But the uptake varies across different counties. For
instance, in Murang’a County, Vaccinations Coordinator Veronica Kang’ethe in
August reported that only 18.72 per cent of eligible girls (aged 10-14) received
the first dose (HPV1) in 2024, and 27.43 per cent got the second dose (HPV2).
This is a steep drop from 2023, when uptake was 53 per cent for HPV1 and 37.31 per cent for HPV2.
Some of the decline has been linked to myths,
misinformation, and hesitancy, factors that researchers say continue to hinder
full vaccine coverage.
In response, Kenya is shifting its strategy. During the inaugural Star Health Translation Congress in October, the Ministry of Health
announced it will switch from a two-dose regimen to a single-dose HPV vaccine,
a change backed by local data showing sufficient protection with one shot.
Dr Patrick Amoth, Director-General for Health, said: “This
shift will enable the ministry to reach more girls, especially in underserved
areas. A single-dose regimen will promote better coverage because we can reach
more girls quickly.”
Dr Amoth added that moving to one dose could help close the
gap in coverage and free up resources for other health priorities: “Our dream,
both globally and nationally, is to make cervical cancer a thing of the past by
2030.”