According to the HPV Information Centre, cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Kenya, with an estimated 3,200 fatalities.

In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a Global Strategy Towards the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem. This strategy aims for 90% of girls to be fully vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) by age 15, 70% of women to be screened at least twice between ages 30 and 49, and 90% of women with cervical disease to receive treatment by 2030.

In 2019, the Kenyan government initiated a free HPV vaccination program, targeting 10-year-old girls with two doses administered six months apart. However, the program’s success has been limited by various challenges, with only 31% of eligible girls receiving full vaccination in 2020. Marsabit County has been notably impacted, recording an inadequate vaccination rate of just 11% among girls.

The low rate in Marsabit is attributed to several factors, including accessibility to vaccines, harsh climate and lack of proper cold chain to preserve the vaccine. These challenges hinder vaccine distribution and preservation, making it difficult for healthcare providers to reach and vaccinate eligible girls

Outreach Programs

In response, KILELE Health Association and the Marsabit County Government have partnered to increase the uptake of HPV vaccinations among girls aged 9-14 years. On June 13, 2024, they supported healthcare workers and Community Health Promoters (CHPs) from Kargi Health Centre to conduct an HPV vaccination outreach, at Hadad Primary and Junior Secondary School, Kargi town.

The team sensitized nearly 90 girls and their teachers about cervical cancer and the benefits of HPV vaccination, and administered the first and second dose of the HPV vaccine to 43 and 31 girls respectively.

This initiative marks a significant step towards increasing HPV vaccination rates in Marsabit County, which faces logistics challenges that hinder the uptake of HPV vaccine. The collaboration aims to ensure that more girls are protected against cervical cancer, contributing to the broader goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem.

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