The Eastern Regional Health Directorate, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and development partners, have launched the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign to commence immunisation across all 33 districts of the region.
The campaign, scheduled for October 8–12, 2025, targets 202,000 eligible girls aged 9 to 14 years.
It was launched in Koforidua under the theme, “United Against Cervical Cancer,” and brought together stakeholders including traditional leaders, media representatives, parents, staff of the Food and Drugs Authority, teachers, and students.
In his address, Dr. Damien Punguyire, Eastern Regional Director of Health, described the rollout of the HPV vaccination campaign as not merely a public health initiative but a bold step toward eliminating cervical cancer.
He explained that HPV was a sexually transmitted infection that caused cervical cancer.
According to statistics in Ghana, cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, after breast cancer.
Dr Punguyire said the disease affected women’s sexual and reproductive health rights, emphasising that cervical cancer was preventable through early screening and treatment.
He noted that immunisation with the HPV vaccine offered strong and lasting protection against the virus types responsible for most cervical cancer cases.
“Until recently, the vaccine was available in Ghana only to those who could afford it, but health should never be a privilege, it is a basic human right,” he stated.
“That is why the Government of Ghana, with support from health development partners, is providing the HPV vaccine free of charge to eligible Ghanaian girls.”
He outlined three key delivery strategies for the immunisation exercise- the school-based approach, health facility-based approach, and community-based approach.
He urged all stakeholders to disseminate accurate information about the vaccine’s safety and encourage young girls to get vaccinated.
A speech read on behalf of the Eastern Regional Director of Education by Mr Godfried Caesar, Eastern Regional Coordinator for the School Health Education Programme (SHEP), emphasised the link between health and learning.
“Quality education cannot be achieved if learners are not in good health, so the Education Directorate recognizes that good health is a foundation for effective learning,” he said.
Mr. Caesar noted that the Ghana Education Service at the national, regional, and district levels had partnered with the Ghana Health Service to ensure that eligible girls are reached through schools and communities.
He noted that leadership of the Ghana National Council of Private Schools and the Ghana National Association of Private Schools had been engaged and sensitised and had disseminated information on the vaccination exercise to their member schools.
GNA
