The Upper West Regional Health Directorate has achieved almost 90 per cent of its target to vaccinate 65,703 girls aged nine to 14 years against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) to protect them from cervical cancer.

With the exception of Sissala West District and Wa Municipal, which ^exceeded their targets, the other nine districts achieved, on average, 85 per cent of their targets.

The Upper West Regional Director of Health, Dr Collins Boateng Danquah, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in an interview.

He described the mass vaccination as highly successful.

Target

The region was part of the national campaign to vaccinate young girls throughout the country to protect them against cervical cancer.

The region deployed a total of 391 health officers across all 11 districts of the region to reach girls both in and out of school.

The region's target was 59,133 in school and 6,570 out of school girls.

After the five-day exercise, the vaccine is to be incorporated into routine immunisation, allowing girls who turn nine later or miss the campaign to be vaccinated at health facilities.

Speaking at the regional launch of the campaign in Wa, the Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Josephat A. Nyuzaghl, called on stakeholders to unite in safeguarding the health and future of girls and women through the introduction of the HPV vaccine into Ghana’s routine immunisation programme.

He described the nationwide rollout of the HPV vaccine as a major public health milestone for the region and the country, noting that the vaccine has been proven safe and effective worldwide.

“Today, the Upper West Region joins the global movement to eliminate cervical cancer by introducing the HPV vaccine into our immunisation programme.”

“This is an important step to protect the health and future of our girls and women," he said.

He noted that cervical cancer remained one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women globally, with more than 600,000 new cases and over half resulting in death each year.

In Ghana, he said about 3,000 women were diagnosed annually, and approximately 1,700 die from the disease.

“In the Upper West Region, 22 cases were diagnosed last year, and 70 per cent of these were detected very late, making treatment difficult and often fatal,” he lamented.

Misconception

Dr Nyuzaghl said while the HPV vaccine offered vital protection, "screening and early treatment remain essential.

Even with the vaccine, some cases may still occur.

But if we screen and identify them early, we can intervene early and minimise fatal outcomes,” he said.

Addressing the misconceptions about the vaccine, Dr Nyuzaghl said, “The vaccine is safe.

The only expected side effects are mild, such as fever, headache, or slight pain at the injection site.

There is no link between the HPV vaccine and infertility.”

The Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr Collins Boating Danquah, explained that the cervix—the entrance to a woman’s womb—is often affected when the virus persists in the body.

“Think of the cervix as a doorway. Before entering the womb, you pass through that door.

It’s at this entrance that the HPV virus stays and may later cause disease,” he said.