In a strategic move to enhance cervical cancer prevention, UNICEF has partnered with six civil society organisations (CSOs) to specifically target girls aged 9 to 14 who are out of school in Ghana for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign.
The coalition, comprising Theatre for Social Change, Curious Minds Ghana, DAWAH Academy, Muslim Women in Teaching (MUSWIT), The Light Foundation, and Meta Foundation, is focused on bridging the vaccination gap that exists between in-school and out-of-school girls. Through community mobilization, grassroots sensitisation, and outreach efforts, the campaign seeks to ensure that vulnerable girls—often missed by mainstream health services—receive vital protection against HPV.
Ghana has joined a global movement with over 140 countries integrating the HPV vaccine into routine immunization schedules. This initiative is critical in the fight against cervical cancer, a disease that disproportionately affects women in Sub-Saharan Africa, where over 70 percent of cases are diagnosed late, limiting treatment success.
Addressing participants at the annual MUSWIT conference in Kumasi, UNICEF Social and Behaviour Change Specialist Madam Charity Nikoi emphasized the urgency of extending vaccination efforts beyond schools. She called on parents and guardians to prioritize early vaccination for all eligible girls to maximize the vaccine’s protective benefits.
This targeted approach aims to reduce cervical cancer rates in Ghana by ensuring equitable access to HPV vaccines, underscoring that no girl—regardless of her schooling status—should be left unprotected from this preventable disease.
