Mozambique achieved a significant milestone in its fight against cervical cancer by launching a statewide HPV vaccination campaign, which was sponsored by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and the World Health Organisation. The initiative now protects approximately three million girls aged 12 to 18 in all eleven provinces, demonstrating the country’s commitment to women’s health.

The vaccine, which was introduced into Mozambique’s national immunisation program in 2019, represents a sustained effort to prevent adolescent girls from the human papillomavirus (HPV), the major cause of cervical cancer. Thierry Vincent, Gavi’s Senior Country Manager for Mozambique, stated that a single dose provides great protection and enables millions of girls to join a rising worldwide fight to eradicate cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer remains the fourth most frequent cancer in women worldwide, accounting for 660,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths each year, the majority of which occur in poor nations. In Mozambique, the disease claims over 4,000 women’s lives annually. UNICEF Representative Mary Louise Eagleton emphasised that no girl should lose her future to a preventable illness, describing the vaccine as a symbol of equality and opportunity.