Ghana Health Service introduces HPV vaccine into routine immunization programme  

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) in collaboration with the Municipal Health Directorates has introduced the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) vaccine into Ghana’s routine immunization programme.  

This was scheduled after the nationwide campaign conducted in September 2025. 

Starting from January 2026, all girls, between the ages of 9-14, who did not receive the vaccine during the nationwide campaign would be vaccinated during out of school and school health services.  

This was contained in a press statement signed by Mrs. Wilhemina Duah Morttey, Municipal Director of Health Services in Tarkwa Nsuaem, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, Tarkwa.  

It said the overall goal of introducing the HPV vaccine was to prevent cervical cancer which remained one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women in Ghana. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cervical cancer is the 4th most leading cause of cancer in women with around 660,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths in 2022.  

The statement revealed that 94 per cent of these mortalities caused by cervical cancer occurred in low-and middle-income countries including Ghana.  

It further explained there was currently only symptomatic management for cervical cancers, however the disease could be prevented through vaccination. 

HPV is a viral disease which mostly affects women. It is primarily transmitted via vaginal, anal, oral sexual contact, but it could also be passed on through the exchange of bodily fluids, such as saliva, skin-to-skin contact and kissing could expose one to the virus. 

The statement said because there were no symptoms, many people carried the virus without even realizing they had it. 

Source: GNA