In June, Eswatini launched its first-ever Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign by Her Royal Highness Inkhosikati IaMatsebula, and a total of 46,674 schoolgirls were reached by 84 teams of nurses that visited schools across the country.
The incidence of HPV in Eswatini is fuelled by high HIV rates, driving up cervical cancer case numbers and deaths. The HPV vaccine can prevent most cases of cervical cancer if it is administered before girls or women are exposed to the virus.
World Health Organization (WHO) supported the first-ever HPV vaccination campaign by developing the vaccine introduction plan, micro-planning, health worker guidelines, and monitoring tools, including a readiness assessment for HPV vaccine introduction, and supportive supervision.
Her Royal Highness IaMatsebula says “Vaccinating our girls, in line with the WHO recommendation, will help us to prevent HPV infection, and thus reduce the incidence of cancer among our people”.
Every year, the country records about 360 new cervical cancer cases, with almost one in every three patients dying as a result. Now more than 200 women are living with cervical cancer in the country, with more than 700 cancer-related death recorded in the past five years.
Vaccinator, Sandizsile Mamba says I am so grateful as a health worker to be able to give these children protection against cervical cancer because our country is seeing a growing number of women with the disease”.
Human Papillomavirus vaccines are both safe and highly effective in preventing HPV types 16 and 18 which are together responsible for about 70% of all cervical cancer cases globally. The vaccines are also highly efficacious in preventing precancerous cervical lesions caused by these virus types.
The campaign was well-received by parents and teachers as well, through the commitment of Risk Communication and Community mobilization teams comprising staff from WHO, the health promotion unit, and other partners. Sensitization activities were conducted across various media, including radio, print, and social media with parents eager to learn more.
Nurses briefed the students about the vaccine and its benefits, teaching them that the vaccine prevents HPV, and so reduces the likelihood of contracting cervical cancer later in the future.
Teacher Juliana Takaruva says: “This is a real benefit for our learners, and we hope that the health education they received will also advance a broader understanding of the dangers of not vaccinating. We will continue preaching the message that prevention is better than cure.”
Vaccinator Sandzisile Mamba says WHO and the Eswatini Ministry of Health provided comprehensive training for over 400 health workers ahead of the campaign. Although she knew about HPV, she says that she was not well versed in the preventative vaccine.
“I am so grateful, as a health worker, to be able to give children protection against cervical cancer because our country is seeing a growing number of women with the disease. It’s so important to protect these children against HPV,” she says.