The Ghana Health Service (GHS), as part of activities marking this year’s African Vaccination Week (AVW), has intensified the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign, urging parents to ensure that girls aged nine to 14 receive the vaccine to protect them against cervical cancer.

The Director-General of the GHS, Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, said Ghana was committed to eliminating cervical cancer as a public health threat by increasing immunisation coverage against HPV, the leading cause of the disease, and called for public cooperation to achieve the goal.

He was speaking during a visit to selected vaccination centres, including Bethlehem Presbyterian Basic School, the Church of Pentecost, D.K. Arkan Worship Centre and Dar-Es-Salaam Islamic Basic School, all in Accra on Friday, to assess progress and encourage uptake of the vaccine.

Dr Akoriyea reiterated that the vaccines were targeted at girls within the age group because it was most effective when administered before exposure to the virus, usually prior to the onset of sexual activity.

He said the rollout, being implemented through schools, health facilities and community outreach centres, was aimed at ensuring wider access, particularly in underserved areas, and would contribute to healthier communities while reducing healthcare costs in the future.

He stressed that the HPV vaccine and basic primary healthcare services under the programme were completely free of charge.

“All the services we are providing are free. No one should pay even one cent,” he mentiomned.

Dr Akoriyea urged the public to disregard misinformation about the vaccines and assured that concerns arising from its administration so far would be addressed.

He disclosed that efforts were underway to adequately equip health personnel to enhance service delivery, especially in rural areas.

In a speech read on her behalf, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Fiona Braka, commended Ghana for its vaccination efforts, describing the country’s performance as impressive.

She reaffirmed that the HPV vaccines were safe, effective and provided free of charge to eligible girls.

According to Dr Braka, the HPV vaccines played a critical role in preventing cervical cancer and formed an essential component of primary healthcare.

She assured that WHO would continue to support Ghana’s immunisation efforts in order to ensure that every child was protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.

This year’s AVW is on the theme: ‘For Every Generation, Vaccines Work,’ emphasising the need to strengthen immunity across all age groups, with focus on polio, measles and HPV vaccination.