The World Health Organization Ghana, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service and partners, is currently focused on developing Ghana’s application for support to introduce the HPV vaccine into routine immunization programs.
This initiative aims to prevent HPV infection and reduce the risk of HPV-related cancers, particularly cervical cancer, which poses a significant health threat in the country.
The HPV vaccine, once integrated into Ghana’s routine immunization schedule, is expected to have a far-reaching impact on public health by providing protection against HPV infections and associated cancers.
Cervical cancer, in particular, is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Ghana, and the introduction of the HPV vaccine is a crucial step towards reducing the burden of this preventable disease.
In addition to this effort, the Ghana Health Service, World Health Organization Ghana, and their partners are also working on preparing Ghana’s Big Catch-Up application aimed at reaching children who have missed out on essential vaccines due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This initiative seeks to restore vaccination coverage to pre-pandemic levels, ensuring that all children have access to life-saving vaccines and strengthening the overall health system in the country.
The collaborative efforts of Ghana Health Service, WHO Ghana, and their partners underscore a commitment to improving public health outcomes and addressing critical health challenges in the country.
BackgroundÂ
Ghana has a population of 10.6 million women ages 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cervical cancer. Current estimates indicate that every year 2797 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 1699 die from the disease.
Cervical cancer ranks as the 2nd most frequent cancer among women in Ghana and the 2nd most frequent cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age. Data is not yet available on the HPV burden in the general population of Ghana.
However, in Western Africa, the region Ghana belongs to, about 4.3% of women in the general population are estimated to harbour cervical HPV16/18 infection at a given time, and 55.6% of invasive cervical cancers are attributed to HPVs 16 or 18.
