Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in Africa: Urgent steps needed to address low uptake amid rising hesitancy
Cervical cancer, caused by persistent infection of HPV, is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in sub-Saharan Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 94% of global cervical cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with sub-Saharan Africa heavily affected. [2]
Studies indicate that, globally, about 12% of women with normal cervical cytology are found to have an HPV infection. This prevalence doubles to around 24% in sub-Saharan Africa. Young women under 25 are particularly vulnerable, with an HPV prevalence rate of 43.9% in Africa compared to the global rate of 19.2%. [3]
A 2023 report indicated that cervical cancer ranks as the 13th most frequent cancer among women in Egypt and the 9th most frequent among women aged 15 to 44 years. [4] In Kigali, Rwanda, before the national HPV vaccination programme, 54% of women aged 19 years and younger were found to have received an HPV-positive result. [5] The high mortality rate in Ghana further demonstrates the burden, with approximately 3,000 women diagnosed with cervical cancer annually, resulting in around 2,000 deaths each year. [6]
Vaccine hesitancy, defined as a delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite their availability, remains a challenge in the fight against preventable diseases such as cervical cancer. Misinformation, cultural beliefs, and accessibility issues further compound the low uptake of HPV vaccines. As global health organisations and local health authorities strive to eliminate preventable diseases, understanding and addressing vaccine hesitancy has never been more urgent. [1]
Understanding vaccine hesitancy
The Vaccine Confidence Report highlights several drivers of HPV vaccine hesitancy, including safety concerns, mistrust in healthcare systems, and misinformation on social media. According to Prof. Meyer, despite clear scientific evidence, many still believe vaccines are harmful. [1] 'This reluctance is troubling,' she said, 'given the direct link between HPV and cervical cancer. Addressing these fears with credible information is vital to reducing the burden in sub-Saharan Africa.'
An external study titled 'Vaccine Hesitancy and Trust in sub-Saharan Africa' published in Scientific Reports in May 2023 examined vaccination behaviours and attitudes across six sub-Saharan African countries: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. The study found that only about 10% of respondents reported receiving at least one HPV vaccination. Vaccine hesitancy rates varied across countries, with South Africa exhibiting the highest rate at 17.15% and Kenya the lowest at 8.3%. [7]
Impact of misinformation, funding gaps and immunisation disruption Misinformation remains a major driver of vaccine hesitancy in Africa, especially through online platforms. It has shaped public attitudes and eroded trust in immunisation programmes. At the same time, shifting global priorities and economic pressures have led to reduced funding for vaccination efforts, limiting access in low-income communities. [8] 'Routine immunisation has saved millions of lives,' said Dr Alima Essoh, Regional Director of the Preventive Medicine Agency for Africa (AMP Africa). 'When misinformation and resource constraints disrupt these efforts, we risk undoing decades of progress.' Expanding HPV vaccination is critical to reducing cervical cancer, but it requires tackling misinformation head-on and improving access across the continent.
Broader implications for public health
While HPV vaccination remains a key focus, vaccine hesitancy extends to other preventable diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health concern by 2030, which includes ensuring that 90% of girls are fully vaccinated against HPV by age 15. [9] According to Prof Meyer, vaccine hesitancy threatens to derail this goal and broader efforts to achieve high immunisation rates for other preventable illnesses such as measles, polio, and influenza.
Rethinking the fight against HPV-related cervical cancer: Community action and vaccine confidence
Efforts to eliminate HPV and reduce HPV-related cervical cancer in Africa necessitate innovative, community-driven solutions. Dr Sabrina Kitaka, Senior Lecturer at Makerere University, states that engaging and accessible tools, such as comic books and school-based vaccination, have significantly enhanced vaccine uptake among young people. She adds that reminder systems, such as SMS and automated phone calls, help ensure adolescents complete the HPV vaccine schedule. If implemented on a large scale, these strategies could strengthen vaccine coverage across the region. She further states that, tackling vaccine hesitancy will require a coordinated approach involving governments, healthcare workers, civil society, and the private sector. This means improving health communication, building trust through local partnerships, and tailoring outreach to meet communities where they are.
'There is no time to waste,' says Prof. Meyer. 'We must work together to share accurate information, address concerns, and make vaccines truly accessible. Only then can we protect future generations from preventable diseases.'
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers in this document are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of MSD.
References
MSD South Africa., Meyer, JC. 2025. Vaccination Hesitancy Study. Accessed 07 April 2025 'Human papillomavirus and cancer', World Health Organization, 5 March 2024: http://apo-opa.co/3Glx3fK. High Burden of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection Among Young Women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa' PLOS One, 19 January 2016: https://apo-opa.co/4cTdfNc. Accessed 07 April 2025. 'Egypt HPV and Related Cancers, Fact sheet 2023, https://apo-opa.co/3YMStZv? Accessed 2 April 2025. 'Human papillomavirus infection in Rwanda at the moment of implementation of a national HPV vaccination programme', National Library of Medicine, National Centre for Biotechnology Information, 24 May 2016: https://apo-opa.co/4jORArD. Accessed 07 April 2025. 'Human Papillomavirus and Related Diseases Report', HPV Information Centre, 10 March 2023: https://apo-opa.co/3RzzoGn. Accessed 07 April 2025. 'Vaccine hesitancy and trust in sub-Saharan Africa', Scientific Reports (https://apo-opa.co/4jGlMVQ), 13 May 2024: https://apo-opa.co/4cQyUp9. Accessed 10 April 2025. UNICEF, Global immunization coverage stalled in 2021, leaving millions of children unprotected – WHO and UNICEF, 2022: http://apo-opa.co/3RTv3OB. WHO. HPV&Cancer. Available at: Human papillomavirus and cancer (http://apo-opa.co/4cSGTSM). Accessed: 07 April 2025
REPORT ANY SUSPECTED ADVERSE EVENTS OR PRODUCT QUALITY COMPLAINTS TO DPOC SOUTH AFRICA:
dpoc.zaf@msd.com
Tel: +27 (0)11 655 3000.
www.MSD.co.za
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UAE Moments
3 days ago
- UAE Moments
Your Health Horoscope for July 21, 2025
Each zodiac sign is linked to a part of our body and can reveal valuable information about how celestial forces influence our well-being. Discover your daily health horoscope based on your zodiac sign. Aries Health Horoscope Be kind to yourself and try not to push yourself too hard. It is important you focus on your health. Ensuring you are getting enough nutrients and vitamins, engaging in meditation to help you relax, and focusing on positive emotions are important. Don't let negativity affect you. When you think positive, positive things will come to you. Taurus Health Horoscope This is an important time for your health and at this time, positive thinking and finding joy in the little things should be your priority. When you focus on your feelings and direct them toward positivity, your health will improve in multiple ways. Don't let negative thinking consume you. The more you practice positive thinking, the more you will reach your health goals. Gemini Health Horoscope This lunar energy can bring enthusiasm and excitement so keeping a balance within is important at this time. Your health goals can benefit by gut-health foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and miso. Meditation is highly recommended and can help you stay balanced and also help with your sleeping pattern. Cancer Health Horoscope Under this lunar energy, the desire to get things progressing is strong for you. Are you including enough vitamins and nutrients in your diet? This is a great day for exploring new health foods. Checking out healthy recipes online and including them in your diet is a good idea. Be creative. There are lots of options available to you. Leo Health Horoscope Powerful energy fills the air and there may be a few intense moments for you. Keeping your inner balance is important at this time. Meditation and being among nature are great ways for you to relax. When you focus on how you feel, your health takes a turn for the better. Make this a priority for yourself and find happiness in the smallest things. Virgo Health Horoscope It is easy to forget the importance of health when you are always on the go but it is essential to pay attention to this. When you are mindful of the way you feel, it is a good indicator of the way your health is. Staying positive is essential to good health. Take time to list all the things you feel happy and grateful for. Then focus on this list and you will feel much more positive on the inside. Libra Health Horoscope This is a powerful time for reconsidering your health practices. What improvements can you add to your daily routine? Practicing new techniques to help you toward your health goals enables you to implement creative energy into them. This brings new motivation. Make a list of things you can do during the day to boost positive thinking during your day. Scorpio Health Horoscope Today brings the chance to understand your health goals at a deeper level. Including new and healthy foods in your diet such as kale, butternut squash, black beans and walnuts are especially beneficial for you. Meditation is highly recommended and will help you to balance from within and bring greater clarity to you. Read More: Your Zodiac: SCORPIO (Oct 24-Nov 22) Sagittarius Health Horoscope It's an excellent time for greater clarity. This lunar energy brings new realization and understanding to your health goals. Focusing on the positives is important for you at this time. Think about what makes you feel good. When you put focus on your feelings and direct them toward a place of positive energy, your health improves and clarity begins. Capricorn Health Horoscope This is a good day to go through your daily routine and identify where improvements can be made. Are you getting enough sleep? Are there disturbances in this area interfering with your rest time? These are good questions to ask yourself. Take time today to go through this and be open to new suggestions that appear. Aquarius Health Horoscope This is a day to go over your health goals and acknowledge where you feel you may be experiencing a sense of lack. Today is a new day and you can always continue from where you left off. Positive thinking is everything. Including kale, spinach, green beans, black beans and squash into your diet helps you to stay nutritionally satisfied. Probiotic foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi are highly beneficial. Pisces Health Horoscope Today's lunar energy brings powerful realization in regard to your health goals. Spending time in nature is especially powerful for you today and can lead to powerful release. Take time to engage in meditation as this helps you to balance from within and brings greater clarity to you, especially regarding any questions you have at this time.
UAE Moments
16-07-2025
- UAE Moments
Your Health Horoscope for July 16, 2025
Each zodiac sign is linked to a part of our body and can reveal valuable information about how celestial forces influence our well-being. Discover your daily health horoscope based on your zodiac sign. Aries Health Horoscope Are you giving your body the attention it deserves? This is a time to listen to what your body is telling you. A appreciation journal is a great idea. Daily prompts that remind you of things to appreciate raise your happiness levels. What do you feel most appreciative for? Who are you grateful for in your life? The more you practice gratitude, the happier you will be. Taurus Health Horoscope It can be hard to move in a positive direction if you feel stuck in negative energy. Negative energy affects both physical and mental health. Once you catch the energy in the early stages and truly understand that you have the power to transform negative energy into positive energy, you will begin to feel happier and brighter. Focus on the things that make you happy. What makes you feel good? Your feelings are everything and nurturing your emotions is essential to your well-being. Gemini Health Horoscope Are you feeling balanced within? Or are things feeling wobbly? When mental or physical health is imbalanced, life cannot be as wonderful as it could be. Your belief in your own health is absolutely essential. Healing starts from within. It starts from positive thoughts, positive feelings and positive energy. Start working from the inside and truly believe in yourself. Cancer Health Horoscope Find joy in the small things in life and you will begin to notice your health improve in every way. You are the wielder of your own future. Remember, you have great power within you. All you need to do is trust it. You have always had the power within you. You may have felt disconnected from this power in the past but it is rising within you now and asking you to accept it for what it is. Trust yourself. You are on the edge of something amazing. Leo Health Horoscope It can be hard for you to let go but holding onto past resentments or negative emotions that don't serve you can manifest in your health. Now is the time to let go of whatever is holding you back. We store energy in our bodies and it sticks there without us even realizing. But we also have the ability to work with energy in our bodies. Positive thinking, letting go, forgiveness and understanding the bigger picture is important. You have the power to transform your energy, never forget this. Virgo Health Horoscope Your emotions are important to your well-being. Health and well-being starts from within. Living in a state of positivity is a natural healer to you on mental and physical levels. Protect your space. Focus on your emotional journey and know that when you pay close attention to your feelings and recognize where they are harming you, you then begin to move up the emotional ladder and you will see positive changes. Libra Health Horoscope Try to stay focused on your physical health journey because it can be easy for you to be distracted at times. Protect your space. Self-care is essential for your well-being. It is important not to be hard on yourself. Remember that this is a journey. Pick yourself up when you need to. Never forget that you have the power to manifest your reality and reach your health goals. Scorpio Health Horoscope The way you feel is essential to your health so pay attention to your emotions as this helps you balance yourself within. Positivity thinking is crucial to your health. When you feel negative emotions, negative energy is attracted to you. Positive emotions yield positive energy. Take time to enjoy life, do what makes you happy, and anything you can do to move up the emotional ladder. You deserve to be happy and being happy is crucial to your existence. Sagittarius Health Horoscope Your health is affected by your feelings so today is a wonderful time to record your emotions and think about which ones holding you back. You have the power to manifest your reality and explore the depths of your emotions. Nutritious foods and drinks such as green beans, sweet potato and kefir are wonderful for keeping you nourished and giving your body the fuel that it needs. Capricorn Health Horoscope The best thing you can do for yourself right now is prioritize your physical and emotional health. To neglect either of them is to neglect important aspects of yourself. Today you are encouraged to take a break from the bustle of daily life and focus on you. Don't push yourself too hard. It is time to rest and focus on you. Try to unwind and relax. Aquarius Health Horoscope Are negative thoughts creeping in? Now is the time to think about how you can harmonize your outer environment to balance your internal one. In what ways can you make personal changes to your health regime? This is an important question to consider today. Foods high in vitamins and minerals are essential for your physical body. When you give your foods the nutrients it needs, you will naturally feel better. Pisces Health Horoscope It is important to focus on you and your well-being. You are accustomed to putting yourself out for others. But your boundaries matter. Are you setting necessary boundaries in your life? Foods that are nutritious and wholesome raise your vibrational levels. Drinks such as ginger tea and kefir are very good for your body. Try and include these into your diet.
UAE Moments
15-07-2025
- UAE Moments
Your Health Horoscope for July 15, 2025
Each zodiac sign is linked to a part of our body and can reveal valuable information about how celestial forces influence our well-being. Discover your daily health horoscope based on your zodiac sign. Aries Health Horoscope Are you giving your body the attention it deserves? This is a time to listen to what your body is telling you. A appreciation journal is a great idea. Daily prompts that remind you of things to appreciate raise your happiness levels. What do you feel most appreciative for? Who are you grateful for in your life? The more you practice gratitude, the happier you will be. Taurus Health Horoscope It can be hard to move in a positive direction if you feel stuck in negative energy. Negative energy affects both physical and mental health. Once you catch the energy in the early stages and truly understand that you have the power to transform negative energy into positive energy, you will begin to feel happier and brighter. Focus on the things that make you happy. What makes you feel good? Your feelings are everything and nurturing your emotions is essential to your well-being. Gemini Health Horoscope Are you feeling balanced within? Or are things feeling wobbly? When mental or physical health is imbalanced, life cannot be as wonderful as it could be. Your belief in your own health is absolutely essential. Healing starts from within. It starts from positive thoughts, positive feelings and positive energy. Start working from the inside and truly believe in yourself. Cancer Health Horoscope Find joy in the small things in life and you will begin to notice your health improve in every way. You are the wielder of your own future. Remember, you have great power within you. All you need to do is trust it. You have always had the power within you. You may have felt disconnected from this power in the past but it is rising within you now and asking you to accept it for what it is. Trust yourself. You are on the edge of something amazing. Leo Health Horoscope It can be hard for you to let go but holding onto past resentments or negative emotions that don't serve you can manifest in your health. Now is the time to let go of whatever is holding you back. We store energy in our bodies and it sticks there without us even realizing. But we also have the ability to work with energy in our bodies. Positive thinking, letting go, forgiveness and understanding the bigger picture is important. You have the power to transform your energy, never forget this. Virgo Health Horoscope Your emotions are important to your well-being. Health and well-being starts from within. Living in a state of positivity is a natural healer to you on mental and physical levels. Protect your space. Focus on your emotional journey and know that when you pay close attention to your feelings and recognize where they are harming you, you then begin to move up the emotional ladder and you will see positive changes. Libra Health Horoscope Try to stay focused on your physical health journey because it can be easy for you to be distracted at times. Protect your space. Self-care is essential for your well-being. It is important not to be hard on yourself. Remember that this is a journey. Pick yourself up when you need to. Never forget that you have the power to manifest your reality and reach your health goals. Scorpio Health Horoscope The way you feel is essential to your health so pay attention to your emotions as this helps you balance yourself within. Positivity thinking is crucial to your health. When you feel negative emotions, negative energy is attracted to you. Positive emotions yield positive energy. Take time to enjoy life, do what makes you happy, and anything you can do to move up the emotional ladder. You deserve to be happy and being happy is crucial to your existence. Sagittarius Health Horoscope Your health is affected by your feelings so today is a wonderful time to record your emotions and think about which ones holding you back. You have the power to manifest your reality and explore the depths of your emotions. Nutritious foods and drinks such as green beans, sweet potato and kefir are wonderful for keeping you nourished and giving your body the fuel that it needs. Capricorn Health Horoscope The best thing you can do for yourself right now is prioritize your physical and emotional health. To neglect either of them is to neglect important aspects of yourself. Today you are encouraged to take a break from the bustle of daily life and focus on you. Don't push yourself too hard. It is time to rest and focus on you. Try to unwind and relax. Aquarius Health Horoscope Are negative thoughts creeping in? Now is the time to think about how you can harmonize your outer environment to balance your internal one. In what ways can you make personal changes to your health regime? This is an important question to consider today. Foods high in vitamins and minerals are essential for your physical body. When you give your foods the nutrients it needs, you will naturally feel better. Pisces Health Horoscope It is important to focus on you and your well-being. You are accustomed to putting yourself out for others. But your boundaries matter. Are you setting necessary boundaries in your life? Foods that are nutritious and wholesome raise your vibrational levels. Drinks such as ginger tea and kefir are very good for your body. Try and include these into your diet.
