NAIROBI, Kenya – More Kenyan teenage girls are gaining protection against cervical cancer as uptake of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine grows, even as the Ministry of Health works to close persistent coverage gaps across counties.
The HPV vaccine—offered to girls aged 10–14—reached 79 per cent of eligible girls in 2024, an improvement from the previous year but still below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 90 per cent target.
The Ministry says the shift to a single-dose regimen next year is expected to accelerate progress.
Global vaccine alliance Gavi, which finances HPV vaccines in Kenya and other lower-income countries, announced that 86 million girls have now been protected globally.
The organisation estimates the jab has prevented more than one million future deaths from cervical cancer.
“Thanks to incredible commitment from countries, partners, civil society and communities, we have now reached that target ahead of schedule,” said Gavi CEO Dr Sania Nishtar.
Launched in 2023, Gavi’s revitalised HPV programme is projected to avert 1.4 million deaths.
By the end of 2025, the vaccine will be available in countries that account for 89 per cent of the world’s cervical cancer burden—most of them low-income nations where screening and treatment are limited.
Cervical cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers for women in Kenya, with about 5,236 new cases and 3,211 deaths reported each year, according to the Ministry of Health.
Despite the national progress, county-level disparities highlight ongoing challenges. In Murang’a, for example, only 18.7 per cent of eligible girls received the first dose in 2024—down from 53 per cent in 2023.
Health officials and researchers attribute the decline to myths, misinformation and vaccine hesitancy.
Gavi has supported countries by lowering the vaccine cost to as little as US$2.90 per dose—compared to more than US$100 in some markets—while boosting supply and strengthening delivery systems.
Between 2014 and 2024, the HPV programme generated an estimated US$2.32 billion in economic benefits across 43 supported countries.
A major turning point came in 2022 when WHO recommended a single-dose HPV schedule. Kenya is now adopting the one-shot approach after local data confirmed it provides adequate protection.
“This shift will enable the ministry to reach more girls, especially in underserved areas,” said Director General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth during the Star Health Translation Congress in October. “A single-dose regimen will promote better coverage because we can reach more girls quickly.”
He said the transition will also free up resources for other health priorities and accelerate Kenya’s ambition to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat by 2030.
