Ghana Health Workers Lead HPV Vaccination Drive to Protect Girls Against Cervical Cancer

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Health workers in Ghana have been placed at the forefront of a national campaign to introduce the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the country’s routine immunization programme.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Ghana, in collaboration with the Ghana Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service, health professionals are critical in ensuring that eligible children receive the vaccine and communities understand its importance.

WHO Ghana said the organisations convened an engagement session in Accra with professional health associations, including the Ghana Medical Association, the Paediatric Society of Ghana, and the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, to prepare frontline workers for the rollout.

Opening the session on behalf of the Minister of Health, Chief Director of the Ministry of Health Mr Desmond Boateng highlighted the importance of health workers in building public confidence in the vaccination programme.

“Health workers are the heart of this campaign. It is their knowledge, trust, and dedication that will convince parents to bring their children forward for vaccination,” Boateng said, according to WHO Ghana.

The WHO Representative to Ghana, Dr Fiona Braka, said empowering frontline health workers with knowledge and confidence is essential for the success of the HPV vaccine introduction.

“Health workers are the bridge between science and society. They not only deliver vaccines but also build trust, dispel fears, and safeguard lives,” Dr Braka said.

The National Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Manager, Dr Selorm Kutsoati, said Ghana has prepared vaccine supplies and systems, but the impact of the programme will depend on how health workers engage with communities.

“We have the vaccines, the strategy, and the systems in place. But ultimately, it is our health workers who translate plans into action,” she said.

President of the Paediatric Society of Ghana, Dr Hilda Boye, described the HPV vaccination campaign as a long-term investment in protecting girls and preventing cervical cancer.

“This is more than a vaccination exercise; it is an investment in the health of our girls and in the future of our nation,” Dr Boye said.

The WHO Ghana said the campaign represents a major step in strengthening preventive healthcare and reducing the burden of cervical cancer among women in Ghana.

The organisation added that the success of the programme will depend on cooperation between health institutions, communities, parents and frontline workers.

This story is based on information distributed by APO Group on behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO), Ghana.