Gov’t Rolls Out Free Cervical Cancer Vaccine Program for Kenyan Girls

The government on Friday rolled out a free cervical cancer immunization program to young Kenyan girls countrywide.

This makes Kenya the 16th nation in Africa to administer a vaccine against the cancer-causing Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

The vaccination drive, which is mainly funded by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi), which disbursed $5,981,400, targets 800,000 Kenyan girls aged 10.

Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki indicated the program will cost Sh800 million in the year of introduction and the vaccine will be administered in 9,000 public, private and faith-based health facilities across the country.

“The vaccine will be offered nationally alongside other routine infant vaccines through an existing network of more than 9,000 public, private, faith-based and NGO health facilities free of charge to 800,000 girls, who are currently aged 10 and subsequently to all girls as they attain that age in the future,” said Ms. Kariuki.

She added: “Already, the country has in place more than 1.3 million doses of the HPV vaccine against a target of 800,000 girls for this year.” 

The CS noted that the girls must receive two doses of the vaccine six months apart for maximum protection.

Dr. Fiona Atahebwe, the Vaccines Officer at the World Health Organization (WHO) regional office assured that the vaccines have no side effects as witnessed in other parts of the world. 

“There were no side effects witnessed and this has proven to be the safest in Africa,” she said.

Kenya Catholic Doctors Association (KCDA) has questioned the decision to administer the vaccine to 10-year-old girls.

“At 10 years, our children are not sexually active. They are not at risk of contracting HPV or other STDs. This applies also to other individuals who are not sexually active. It also includes those who are sexually active but are faithful to their partners,” KCDA chairperson Dr. Stephen Karanja said last month.

Cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer in Kenya, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.