Cambodia launched a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign on November 10 to expand protection against cervical cancer among adolescent girls.

The campaign, led by the Ministry of Health and the National Immunization Programme, will provide free vaccinations to girls aged 13 and 14. It will also offer catch-up vaccinations to girls aged 10 to 12 who missed their doses under the routine immunisation programme between 2023 and 2025.

The initiative will run in two phases from November to December 2026 and aims to reach more than 700,000 girls across the country. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has committed more than US$3 million in funding to support the campaign.

The programme builds on Cambodia’s introduction of the HPV vaccine into its National Immunization Programme in 2023. Routine vaccination for nine-year-old girls will continue alongside the expanded campaign.

HPV is a group of viruses, some of which can cause cervical cancer. Persistent infection with high-risk HPV types is linked to nearly all cervical cancer cases. Vaccination before exposure to the virus is an important preventive measure.

Cambodia’s campaign will use school-based, community-based and health facility-based vaccination services. Health teams will work with teachers and local authorities to identify eligible girls, including those who are out of school or live in remote communities.

The World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Clinton Health Access Initiative are supporting the programme alongside Gavi.

Cervical cancer is the second leading cancer among women of all ages in Cambodia. The government is combining vaccination with existing screening and treatment efforts as part of its wider objective of reducing cervical cancer cases.