Tanzania Introduces HPV Vaccine to Prevent Cervical Cancer
February 8th, 2018 |
Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, with technical support from partners including Gavi, JSI, WHO and UNICEF, is preparing to integrate the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the routine immunization system to protect against the virus.
Globally, cervical cancer kills more than 250,000 women every year and 85 percent of these deaths occur in low- and middle income countries. Two types of HPV cause 70 percent of cervical cancers and precancerous cervical lesions. When provided to young girls between 9 and 14 years old, the HPV vaccine is the most cost-effective public health measure to prevent HPV and therefore cervical cancer.
Tanzania is preparing to launch the HPV vaccine introduction in April 2018. In the first year of scale-up,14 year old girls will be vaccinated, followed by a multi-age cohort of 9 – 14 year old girls in 2019. Once the vaccine introduction is complete, the vaccine will be administered routinely to 9 year old girls.
