"A target to protect 86 million girls against cervical cancer by the end of 2025 was achieved ahead of schedule, boosting hopes among experts that cervical cancer can be eliminated within the next century. Gavi, the vaccine alliance, launched its human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme in 2014, when vaccine coverage in Africa was just 4%. By the end of 2022, it was only 15% but scientists had discovered that a single dose could give comparable protection to the two doses originally used."
"In 2023, Gavi announced its ambitious target to protect 86 million girls by 2025 and a concerted push saw coverage in Africa rise. By the end of 2024 it was at 44% higher than Europe's 38%. In November, Dr Sania Nishtar, Gavi's chief executive, credited countries, partners, civil society and communities for reaching the 86m target early, and driving major global progress towards eliminating one of the deadliest diseases affecting women."
Humanitarian funding was cut by the US and other countries including the UK, yet vaccine research and treatment development continued progress. Gavi's HPV vaccination programme began in 2014 with 4% coverage in Africa and rose to 15% by the end of 2022 after evidence showed one dose offers comparable protection to two. A target to vaccinate 86 million girls by 2025 was reached early, pushing African coverage to 44% by the end of 2024, exceeding Europe's 38%. Cervical cancer causes 85% of new cases in sub-Saharan Africa and kills a woman every two minutes. HPV vaccination averts 17.4 deaths per 1,000 children vaccinated, and 86 million vaccinations are estimated to prevent 1.4 million deaths.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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