The Ghana Health Service is set to earmark papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, targeting 2.5 million girls aged between nine and fourteen.

The exercise which was launched on Wednesday, October 8, and attended by religious and traditional leaders, schoolchildren and other partners will be carried out in schools, health facilities and community outreaches following its successful piloting in the country from 2013 to 2018.

Speaking at the ceremony held at Osu in Accra and chaired by the Deputy Director-General of Ghana Education Service, Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh stated that the mortality rate for HPV was very high and the country needed to fight in unity against cervical cancer.

“And this Vaccine has been approved by our Food and Drugs Authority( FDA) and the Wealth Health Organization (WHO). This is just the beginning of His Excellency Mahama’s free primary healthcare initiative to give preventive health care its real meaning. Many times, we go to the hospital when we are sick, but most of these diseases can be prevented.”

“Today, I’m excited to tell you that HPV is preventable, and we are ready to fight it. It is going to be part of our routine immunization program. After today, we are targeting not less than 2.5 million girls, and subsequently, it will be part of our routine immunization,” Mr Akandoh explained.

The Health Minister noted that the rollout of new vaccines in the country has been met with widespread rumours and conspiracy theories questioning their safety.

“Let me assure you that this HPV vaccine is safe, effective, and Ghana is not the first country to administer the vaccine. At best, we are joining other African countries like Rwanda, South Africa and Botswana,” he said.

He noted that getting the vaccine privately without government support could cost between GH¢1,000 and GH¢3,000, a price that would make it difficult for vulnerable and low-income Ghanaians to afford.

“Therefore, let us all support it because it is going to be part of our routine programme,” he appealed.

Adding that the vaccine would not be forced on anybody as consent forms had been distributed in the various schools.

The Health Minister noted that the initiative marked the beginning of President John Dramani Mahama’s free primary healthcare programme, aimed at giving true meaning to preventive health care.

Mr. Akandoh urged all caregivers to support the campaign and ensure that girls between the ages of nine and fourteen receive the HPV vaccine, describing the disease as preventable and stating, “and we are ready to fight it.”

Representing the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, the Director of Public Health, Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, described the vaccine as more than just a medical measure, a pledge to protect the health, aspirations, and future of Ghanaian girls.

He explained that although the HPV vaccine has been available worldwide since 2006 and in parts of Africa for several years, this launch marks the first time it is being introduced nationwide in Ghana, free of charge, to guarantee equal access for all girls aged nine to fourteen.

Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe also emphasized the need for unity and dedication to eliminate preventable cancers and secure a healthier, brighter future for the nation’s young women.

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women in Ghana claiming the lives of mothers, daughters, sisters and friends every year.

HPV on the other hand is also a small, non-enveloped DNA virus that infects skin or mucosal cells, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The virus is highly transmissible, with most individuals acquiring an infection at some point in their lives, particularly soon after the onset of sexual activity.

More than 3,000 women are diagnosed annually, and over half do not survive, although it is preventable.

The UNICEF Representative, Pauliina Sarvilahti, stated that the introduction of the vaccine signified a shared dedication to safeguarding the health, dignity, and future of every girl in Ghana.

She explained that the HPV vaccine is a reliable, safe, and effective measure capable of preventing most cases of the disease, saving an estimated 17.4 lives for every 1,000 girls immunized.

Ms. Sarvilahti further noted that Ghana’s decision to adopt a single-dose schedule has made access to protection easier than ever before.

“UNICEF is proud to stand alongside the Ghana Health Service, the Ghana Education Service, GAVI, WHO, and our many other partners in this effort. Together, we have secured over 2.5 million doses to ensure no eligible girl is left behind,” and in principle, averting about 40,000 deaths caused by cervical cancer,” Ms Sarvilahti stated.

However, she emphasized that vaccines on their own are not sufficient; they must be supported by public education, the building of trust, and efforts to promote broad acceptance.

“To every parent and caregiver across Ghana, especially mothers and fathers of girls aged 9 to 14, this is your moment to act. By ensuring your daughter receives this vaccine, you are giving her the gift of protection, of health, and of opportunity. Every girl deserves a future where her health is not a barrier to her dreams,” Ms Sarvilahti said.

In June this year, Ghana received its first shipment of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to protect the health of girls and women against cervical cancer.

The information was made known by the lead agency responsible for procuring and shipping the vaccines, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Ghana, on Tuesday, June 18.

According to UNICEF, over 2.5 million additional doses of the HPV vaccine will arrive in the coming weeks, following the initial batch of 441,860 doses.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) embarked on a campaign exercise in September this year spanning five days.

It added, "By including the HPV vaccine in the national Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) routine vaccines, Ghana is taking a significant step to protect future generations from cervical cancer."