Eight African countries are set to introduce the human papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccine this year to battle worsening cervical cancer infections in the continent, according to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Gavi has not named the beneficiary countries yet, but seven will be in the World Health Organization Africa region, as part of the alliance’s target to vaccinate 86 million girls globally by 2025, Emily Kobayashi, the head of the HPV vaccine program at Gavi, told Devex.
Gavi will also be introducing jabs through a creative approach — a partnership with the global sports community, aiming to capitalize on Africa’s love for sports to educate communities and their leaders on the importance of early vaccination for girls under the age of 17 years.
About the author
David Njagi
David Njagi is a Kenya-based Devex Contributing Reporter with over 12 years’ experience in the field of journalism. He graduated from the Technical University of Kenya with a diploma in journalism and public relations. He has reported for local and international media outlets, such as the BBC Future Planet, Reuters AlertNet, allAfrica.com, Inter Press Service, Science and Development Network, Mongabay Reporting Network, and Women’s Media Center.
