Latest articles about HPV       Routine vaccines: HPV

Gavi’s impact

Since the inception of Gavi’s human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine programme in 2012, 3.9 million girls have been protected against the leading cause of cervical cancer, and demand for HPV vaccine has never been higher

Record Demand

In 2016, the Gavi Board approved an acceleration of the HPV vaccine programme, allowing countries in the first year of their programme to scale up directly and vaccinate multi-age cohorts of girls in the age range 9–14 years. Through this new strategy, Gavi aimed to protect around 40 million girls from cervical cancer by 2020, averting an estimated 900,000 deaths. However, due to surging global demand and vaccine supply shortages, the scope of this goal has been reduced to reaching an estimated 14 million girls and averting 300,000 deaths.

The uptake of the HPV programme since inception has been encouraging, with 27 countries approved for Gavi support – of which 18 have successfully introduced HPV vaccine into their national immunisation programme. These countries include those with the highest burden of cervical cancer in the world such as Malawi, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Record low price

In 2011, a record low price for HPV vaccines created an opportunity for low-income countries to vaccinate millions of girls against the leading cause of cervical cancer. Thanks to the Vaccine Alliance, the lowest-income countries now have access to HPV vaccines for as little as US$ 4.50 per dose. The same vaccines can cost more than US$ 100 in high-income countries, and the previous lowest public sector price was US$ 13 per dose. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) decision to switch from a recommended schedule of three doses to two doses helps to facilitate country roll-outs and reduce costs.

Gavi/2019/Solomon Islands

Gavi’s response

Historically, the high cost of the vaccine and challenges of reaching adolescent girls to deliver immunisation have been barriers to introduction in low-income countries. Gavi is working to bridge the equity gap by providing support for HPV vaccine and ensuring sustainable prices.

Gavi supports HPV vaccines for national introduction, with immunisation of multi-age cohorts of girls in the age range 9–14 years. However, due to ongoing supply constraints, countries have had to adapt their programmatic strategy by vaccinating a single cohort to introduce and the remaining multi-age cohort when supply is available.

WHO recommends that countries use HPV delivery strategies that are compatible with their health systems infrastructure and cold-chain capacity; are affordable, cost-effective and sustainable; and achieve the highest possible coverage. The highest priority should be given to vaccination strategies that include populations who are less likely to have access to screening for cervical cancer later in life. Opportunities to link vaccine delivery to other health interventions targeting adolescent girls should also be explored.

Support

In 2016, the Gavi Board approved two main changes in the HPV programme, following a recommendation by the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization.

First, countries can now apply directly for Gavi support to fund national introductions rather than starting with a demonstration programme. Countries also have the option of a phased introduction.

Second, countries can opt to vaccinate multiple age groups – between 9 and 14 years – in the first year of their programme, depending on supply availability.

Partnerships

Gavi works with cancer groups, as well as reproductive health and women’s organisations, to help countries deliver HPV vaccines cost-effectively. These partnerships also identify opportunities to integrate HPV vaccination with other health interventions for girls. These include adolescent reproductive health, HIV prevention, nutrition, family planning and safe motherhood. Where feasible, they have also helped to push through comprehensive cervical cancer prevention plans which include vaccination of young girls and screening and treatment of women.

Partners

Many organisations are actively involved with clinical and operational research, policy analysis and advocacy related to HPV vaccine. Gavi’s collaborating partners include but are not limited to:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)
  • Girl Effect
  • International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
  • Jhpiego
  • JSI
  • PATH
  • SEWA
  • UNICEF
  • Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)
  • United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
  • vaccine manufacturers and academia
  • WHO

The issue 

Globally, one woman dies of cervical cancer every two minutes

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in Gavi-supported countries.

Globally, one woman dies of cervical cancer every two minutes

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in Gavi-supported countries.

Resources

20 December 2017

Human papillomavirus vaccine roadmap: public summary (2017)

Gavi opened a funding window for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in 2012. The public summary of the HPV vaccine roadmap gives an overview of the market dynamics for this vaccine.

28 May 2021

Modular Summary of Lessons Learned from National HPV Vaccine Introduction in Zimbabwe, Senegal and Tanzania

This document presents successes, challenges and considerations from an evaluation of HPV vaccine introduction in three early-introducing, Gavi-eligible countries. Experiences presented here may inform decision-making and planning around delivery strategies, dosing schedules, target population/cohort selection, communication/social mobilization and budgeting/financing.

Latest articles about HPV

25 May 2023

How vaccines are protecting girls in Rwanda from a cancer-causing virus

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can protect one in two girls from one of the biggest causes of cervical cancer, according to a study of the first results on HPV effectiveness in Africa.

27 April 2023

A creative solution to a persistent problem: the power of media to drive uptake of vaccines

A new partnership between Gavi and Girl Effect is using the power of mass media to bust myths and help reverse the decline in vaccine coverage across Africa

18 April 2023

Against the clock: Kenyan runner, 15, organises 10km run to beat cervical cancer

More than 3,200 Kenyan women die of vaccine-preventable cervical cancer each year, but teenage athlete Stecy Bosse of Kisumu is racing to change that.

11 April 2023

Cervical cancer can be beaten - the key is vaccinating young girls

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. Mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa are three times higher than the global average.

31 March 2023

Trans and gender-diverse people face higher risk of some cancers, and a higher risk of those cancers being missed

HPV-linked cancers – which are vaccine preventable in most cases – are a particular threat to trans people, a review study recently found. 

16 March 2023

Beyond cervical cancer: How Bhutan is winning the war against HPV

The small Himalayan country of Bhutan plans to eliminate cervical cancer, and sees vaccinating boys as well as girls as being crucial to that goal.

13 March 2023

Eritrea touts screening and HPV vaccines to drive down cervical cancer rates

The second commonest cancer among women aged 15 to 44, and often diagnosed late, cervical cancer has a brutal mortality rate in Eritrea. Now, community health workers are pushing prevention.

8 March 2023

“The battle against cancer is won before the hospital, through prevention”: Fighting cervical cancer in Burkina Faso

Professor Nayi Zongo is the President of the Burkinabe Coalition Against Cancer (COBUCAN). We discuss the importance of vaccination against human papillomavirus to prevent cervical cancer, which claims the lives of hundreds of women each year in…

8 March 2023

“I felt I was in an ice-cube – I was having an out-of-body experience”: Karen Nakawala on her battle with cervical cancer

Zambian broadcaster Karen Nakawala was diagnosed with cervical cancer four years ago. She survived, though many friends she made didn’t. Today she’s on a mission to convince girls across the world to get the HPV vaccine.

7 March 2023

Why southern and eastern Africa have the world’s highest rates of cervical cancer

Southern and East African countries have some of the highest rates1 of cervical cancer in the world. Prof Lynette Denny explains why, and what is being done to improve women’s health.

7 March 2023

Shame, myths and needlephobia leave Ugandan women at high risk of preventable cancer

Cervical cancer is vaccine-preventable in 95% of cases. It also remains Uganda’s single most common cancer, affecting three times as many women and girls there than on global average. VaccinesWork finds out why.

7 March 2023

Q&A: Rolling out HPV vaccine in Burkina Faso

Dr Samiratou Ouédraogo is a lecturer at Joseph Ki-Zerbo University in Burkina Faso, deputy coordinator of the ReAAC (Research and Action Against Cancer) Chair, and also co-founder of Women in Global Health in French-speaking West Africa. She…

6 March 2023

“We lose so many women every day”: cervical cancer in low-resource settings

In rural areas of South Africa, women with cervical cancer are often diagnosed late, and hospitals don’t necessarily have the resources to care for them, says Dr Nwabisa Giyose.

6 March 2023

Q&A: Cervical cancer in the Republic of Guinea

Professor Bangaly Traoré is the coordinator of the national cancer control programme in the Republic of Guinea. In this interview, we discuss the importance of vaccination against human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical cancer.

15 December 2022

Cervical cancer killed 340,000 women in 2020, underlining urgency of HPV vaccine rollout

Although cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable by a vaccine against the causative human papillomavirus, many still don’t have access to it, nor do they have access to screening for early detection. This needs to change if the cancer is…

2 December 2022

One dose of HPV vaccine produces a long-lasting immune response, shows study

WHO said this year that just one dose of the vaccine against cervical cancer is protective. Now a study has confirmed that the immune response remains strong ten years post-vaccination.

10 November 2022

Uzbekistan’s girls are taking on HPV

In a blow against cervical cancer, 94% of Uzbek girls aged 12 to 14 have gotten a first dose of the vaccine against the human papillomavirus.

12 October 2022

Millions to benefit from Indian-made cervical cancer vaccine

A new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been launched by the Serum Institute of India, offering a low-cost alternative to vaccines on the market.

11 October 2022

Five charts on 15 years of the HPV vaccine

More than 15 years have passed since the first HPV vaccine introduction, and real-world evidence for its effectiveness is now well established. However the global burden of HPV-related cervical cancer has shifted to lower-income countries, where…

11 October 2022

How story-telling is helping girls access the HPV vaccine in Ethiopia and Tanzania

Girls and women hold the key to improving access to healthcare for families across Ethiopia and Tanzania, starting with the HPV vaccine.

11 October 2022

“A pivotal moment”: Sierra Leone makes HPV vaccine available to girls across country

More than 150,000 girls across Sierra Leone will have access to the HPV vaccine after the government introduced it into the routine immunisation programme.

27 September 2022

Diamonds in the Sky – A Kunle Afolayan Gem

Kunle Afolayan gives a fresh insight into what it’s like to be a cancer patient in modern Nigeria, teaching vital lessons on the way.

8 August 2022

HPV vaccine could reduce risk of cervical abnormalities returning after surgery

New data hints at potential expanded role for the HPV vaccine, pending further research

31 May 2022

Lesotho mothers welcome the reintroduction of HPV vaccine

Seven years after it ended, Lesotho has relaunched its HPV vaccination programme.

12 May 2022

HPV vaccine rolls out in Eswatini

The Kingdom of Eswatini is preparing for the nationwide rollout of one of the world’s biggest lifesavers: the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

26 April 2022

School-based targeting increases HPV vaccination rates

There are lessons to be learned from Punjab’s approach to increasing HPV vaccination rates.

12 April 2022

WHO says just one dose of HPV vaccine protects against cervical cancer

Cervical cancer kills one woman every two minutes, but the need for two or three doses is a major reason why vaccine uptake has been slow – this finding should mean many more lives are saved through HPV vaccination.

11 March 2022

Kenya’s HPV vaccine strategies re-activated for COVID-19

Strategies to ensure effective HPV vaccinations in Kenya have been modified to boost rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.

28 February 2022

Routine vaccines, extraordinary impact: HPV

With cervical cancer killing one woman every two minutes, rolling out the HPV vaccine that can almost entirely prevent this killer disease is essential.

4 February 2022

Fighting cervical cancer in Lao PDR

In 2021, led by the Lao Women’s Union, Laos made a commitment to combat HPV.

16 December 2021

Kenya on a drive to tackle cervical cancer

Kenya has been systematically rolling out the HPV vaccine – which prevents the leading cause of cervical cancer – in schools.

8 November 2021

HPV vaccine cuts cervical cancer cases by nearly 90%

Real world data from the UK shows the value of vaccinating girls against human papilloma virus (HPV) when they are 12 to 13 years of age.

20 August 2021

How to eliminate cervical cancer - an expert explains

COVID-19 has caused a decline in the delivery of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines that protect girls from cervical cancer. Anuradha Gupta, the Deputy CEO of Gavi, explains what we must do to create more access to these vaccines.

15 February 2021

All roads lead to Ocean: how cancer treatment works in Tanzania

In Tanzania, the Ocean Road Cancer Institute is doing its part to ensure that people across the country can receive cancer treatment and care, regardless of their ability to pay.

5 February 2021

Eliminating cervical cancer depends on global effort to ensure supply meets demand

Global access to HPV vaccine is vital, particularly in lower-income countries. Lessons learned from HPV roll-out could boost uptake of COVID-19 vaccines.

4 February 2021

Can the world ever be cervical cancer-free?

As World Cancer Day approaches amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,  it’s now more important than ever to ensure continued access to HPV vaccines to eliminate cervical cancer around the world.

29 January 2021

How much of an impact do vaccines really have?

The world’s most comprehensive study reveals all! A new study looking at the impact of vaccinations in 98 countries over the past 20 years concludes that 37 million people are alive today thanks to vaccines.

22 January 2021

The public health impact of a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule

New review of evidence on a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule is published by PATH-led consortium.

15 December 2020

Getting girls on board with the HPV vaccine

New girl-centered toolkit helps health officials develop and implement communications campaigns that resonate with girls in their countries.

28 October 2020

Myanmar celebrates the launch of the HPV vaccine

Nearly half a million girls to be protected each year following the launch of the HPV, which will be provided with financial support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Here’s a closer look at the launch ceremony.

27 October 2020

Simplifying the vaccine cost equation

PATH offers new vaccine cost calculators to equip countries making the most of their resources.

23 October 2020

Immunization Is the Best Weapon Against Poverty

Anti-vaxxers’ irresponsible misinformation ignores those with the most to lose by not vaccinating: the poorest and most vulnerable, who risk dying or sliding into medical impoverishment if they or their loved ones get sick. For much of the world’…

21 October 2020

HPV Vaccine Lowers Risk of Cervical Cancer Up to 88%

New research found a direct link between the human papillomavirus vaccine and a lowered risk of developing cervical cancer, with vaccinating children before the age of 17 having the greatest impact.

23 September 2020

Leaders in the fight against infectious diseases

Snapshots from DRC, India and Zambia illustrate country ownership and progress in the fights against Ebola, polio and HPV.

21 September 2020

Rwanda: Changing perceptions

When I was 12, I received the HPV vaccine just like most girls my age in Rwanda. The day after we got the first dose, my classmates started spreading rumours about the vaccine that they had heard from their families and communities.

15 September 2020

Malawi: Reaching girls earlier

In Malawi, primary school drop-out rates are among the highest in Africa. To try and guarantee high coverage, the HPV vaccine is administered to 9-years-old girls.

7 September 2020

Ethiopia Reaching girls at scale

Helping rural and urban girls across Ethiopia understand cervical cancer and HPV.

28 July 2020

Gavi has helped lower-income nations narrow the vaccine coverage gap

Lower-income countries are seeing better vaccination coverage than they have had in decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic is threatening to hamper progress.

20 May 2020

Rwanda’s efforts to strengthen its health system paying off in midst of COVID-19 pandemic

The country has made strategic investments including supply chain strengthening and technological innovation, all of which have allowed critical immunisation activities to continue during and beyond the quarantine.

30 April 2020

World Immunization Week: Eradicating cervical cancer through HPV vaccination

UICC’s Director of Special Projects, Dr Julie Torode, highlights the importance of continuing to push forward with the global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer despite the current coronavirus pandemic.

The growing burden of cervical cancer 

Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer, which claims the lives of 311,000 women each year, mainly in low-income countries.

Without changes in prevention and control, cervical cancer deaths are forecast to rise to 416,000 by 2035.

Immunisation against HPV infection, coupled with screening and treatment, is the best strategy to reduce rapidly the burden of cervical cancer. In low-income countries where women often lack access to cancer screening and treatment services, immunising girls before exposure to HPV is critical.  

Safe and effective HPV vaccines can prevent up to 90% of all cervical cancer cases. 

Surging demand 

The year 2018 saw a significant supply shortage of HPV vaccine, which is forecast to continue in the short- to medium-term. This is because of the unprecedented uptake of HPV support in Gavi-eligible countries, combined with increased global demand for HPV vaccines from higher-income countries.

Alliance partners have been working with manufacturers in order to increase manufacturing capacity to meet worldwide demand, as well as working with countries to help them adapt programmatic strategies. 

External links

How to apply for vaccine support

May 6, 2021

Gavi Support Guidelines

Eligible countries can access detailed guidelines to manage the support they receive from Gavi.

Last updated: 6 Apr 2023

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