Dr. Safdar Nosheen (WHO AFRO) presented critical epidemiological data at the 2025 CHIC Symposium, emphasizing that Africa bears a disproportionate burden of HPV-related diseases, with 18 of the 20 highest-burden countries globally located in the region. In sub-Saharan Africa, cervical cancer accounts for approximately 30% of female cancer diagnoses, with mortality rates reaching 23 per […]
Format: Presentation
HPV vaccine product landscape
Global HPV vaccine coverage stood at 28% of the female target population in 2024 despite 80% of WHO member states having introduced the vaccine, with the coverage gap driven by the delayed introduction of large-population countries including India, China, and Pakistan. The shift to single-dose schedules has fundamentally reshaped global demand dynamics: in 2024, a […]
Challenges and good practices for sustaining delivery after a MAC introduction: Nigeria’s experience towards cervical cancer elimination
In Nigeria, HPV vaccination was introduced in two phases — Phase 1 targeting 16 states (2023) and Phase 2 covering 21 additional states (October 2024) — with immediate routinization following each mass multi-age cohort (MAC) campaign. Combined MAC and routine delivery reached approximately 15.3 million girls aged 9–14 since introduction, with over 12.3 million vaccinated […]
Exploring service delivery strategies, their frequency and long-term coverage trends using school-based platforms. – Uganda
In Uganda, HPV vaccination began with a 2007 pilot project, expanded to a national rollout in 2015 targeting 10-year-old girls through a hybrid school- and age-based model. The presentation traces the programme’s milestones including post-introduction evaluations, COVID-19 disruptions, and post-pandemic recovery. Delivery relies on routine immunization infrastructure, with most vaccinations occurring biannually during Integrated Child […]
Exploring service delivery strategies, their frequency and long-term coverage trends using school-based platforms. – Rwanda
In Rwanda, the HPV vaccination programme — Africa’s first, launched in 2011 — has evolved through three delivery phases: a school grade-based campaign model (2011–2014), integration into routine immunization targeting 12-year-old girls (2015–present), and a single-dose schedule from 2024. Over 2 million girls have received at least one HPV dose since introduction, with coverage consistently […]
Articulating the challenges: Country experiences improving service delivery through a lens of persistent challenges – Kenya
In Kenya, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths among women, with approximately 10 women dying daily (GLOBOCAN 2022). Following a pilot in Kitui County (2013–2015), the HPV vaccine was introduced nationally in October 2019 targeting 10-year-old girls, with COVID-19 disruptions prompting a multi-age cohort expansion to […]
Articulating the challenges: Country experiences improving service delivery through a lens of persistent challenges – The Gambia
In The Gambia, the EPI programme operates 486 monthly vaccination service delivery points combining fixed sites and outreaches, with school-based campaigns and quarterly PIRI activities as the primary service delivery modes. Following a NITAG recommendation, the country switched to a single-dose HPV schedule in January 2025, resulting in a national coverage increase from 12% to […]
Articulating the challenges: Country experiences improving service delivery through a lens of persistent challenges – Senegal
In Senegal, HPV vaccination was introduced in 2018 and integrated from the outset into routine immunization, delivered through health facilities, schools, and community outreach. Despite achieving 90% first-dose coverage in 2019, coverage declined following COVID-19-related disruptions and has since stabilized at around 70%, prompting a national revitalization plan launched in 2023. The country has developed […]
Regional HPV Vaccination Investments: Q&A Session
The Q&A addressed future HPV investments under Gavi 6.0, focusing on Health System Strengthening (HSS) funds, prioritization for HPV, and sustainability beyond 2025. Panelists clarified that current HPV‑specific opportunities should be leveraged now, as the next strategy (2026–2030) may shift toward more flexible health system approaches. The Gates Foundation highlighted ongoing work to identify and […]
Gavi Investments
The Gavi session outlined its 2022 “must‑win” priority to scale up HPV vaccination, aiming to immunize 86 million girls by 2025. It detailed support for both Gavi‑eligible and middle‑income countries, including vaccine grants, operational funding, health‑system strengthening, and pooled procurement mechanisms. The presentation highlighted rapid progress post‑COVID, new multi‑age cohort campaigns, and upcoming introductions in […]