Yesterday, The Chronicle reported on the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate’s organisation of a stakeholders’ engagement on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination introduction in Ghana. The Chronicle welcomes and fully supports the nationwide Human Papillomavirus Vaccination campaign, which was recently launched by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), as part of efforts to reduce the burden of cervical and other HPV-related cancers in the country.
The initiative is part of a broader national effort to protect girls aged 9 to 14 years against HPV, the virus responsible for the majority of cervical cancer cases. HPV is a highly common viral infection, primarily transmitted through skin-to-skin sexual contact. In addition to causing genital warts, the virus can lead to precancerous changes and various forms of cancer, including cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, penile and oropharyngeal (throat) cancers.
The vaccination campaign, scheduled to take place from October 7 to 11, 2025 aims to immunize 2.4 million adolescent girls nationwide, with 379,609 girls targeted in the Ashanti Region alone. Vaccination sites will include schools and community outreach centers, ensuring accessibility for girls in both urban and rural communities.
According to Dr. Fred Adomako-Boateng, the Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, the integration of the HPV vaccine into Ghana’s routine immunization programme represents a major public health achievement. He emphasized that this is not just another health intervention, but a national responsibility to safeguard the future of Ghanaian girls and women.
Cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in Ghana and across Africa. Fortunately, it is also one of the most preventable. The HPV vaccine provides an essential opportunity to build immunity in girls before they are ever exposed to the virus, drastically reducing their risk of developing cervical and other HPV-related cancers later in life.
According to the HPV Information Centre, Ghana has an estimated 10.6 million women aged 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cervical cancer. Each year, 2,797 women are diagnosed and 1,699 die from the disease. These sobering statistics place cervical cancer as the second most frequent cancer among women in Ghana, particularly those between the ages of 15 and 44.
Although nationwide data on HPV prevalence in the general population is limited, studies from West Africa suggest that about 4.3% of women carry high-risk HPV strains, particularly HPV types 16 and 18 – responsible for over 55% of cervical cancer cases in the region.
With this context, the urgency and importance of the vaccination campaign cannot be overstated. Vaccines are among the most effective tools in disease prevention. Administering the HPV vaccine to girls between the ages of 9 and 14 years before they become sexually active, is the most effective way to protect them from developing HPV-related cancers in the future.
The Chronicle applauds this initiative and call on all Ghanaians parents, guardians, teachers, traditional leaders, community health workers and policy makers to fully support the campaign. We encourage parents and guardians to ensure their eligible daughters receive the vaccine and we urge educators and community leaders to play their part in spreading accurate information and dispelling myths or misinformation surrounding the vaccine.
This is a pivotal moment in our public health journey. Let us unite behind this national effort to secure a healthier, cancer-free future for our girls and women.
