A group of five associations, led by the president of the Yerelon+ Association, Ms. Djénéba Ouédraogo, met, on Tuesday January 14, 2025, the director of the Directorate of Prevention through Vaccinations (DPV), Dr. Christelle N. Neya, at his office in Ouagadougou. This meeting aimed to advocate for expanding the vaccination target against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, to girls aged 9 to 14.
In Burkina Faso, the Ministry of Health introduced the vaccine against HPV, the main cause of cervical cancer, in the Expanded Vaccination Program, thus integrating this protection into routine vaccination. This vaccine, initially intended for girls aged 9, aims to prevent the occurrence of this cancer. A targeted campaign had previously been carried out and the community had advocated for its introduction into routine vaccination.
The five associations engaged in this advocacy include Yerelon+, the Union of Religious and Customary People of Burkina (URCB), IES/Femme, the Association School of Citizens (ASEC), and the Professional Association of Midwives and Midwives (APSAM), with the support of Médecins du Monde. Their goal is to expand vaccination coverage to all girls aged 9 to 14, in accordance with WHO recommendations.
During the meeting, representatives of the associations stressed the need to take into account this entire age group and praised the efforts already made by the Ministry of Health in the fight against HPV. “We appreciate what has been achieved in a context of resource scarcity and security crisis. These achievements must be consolidated for the well-being of our populations. We also hope that the ministry will be able to expand vaccination coverage to all girls aged 9 to 14,” said Ms. Djénéba Ouédraogo.
In response, the Director of the Directorate of Prevention through Vaccinations (DPV), Dr. Christelle N. Neya thanked the group for their commitment and recognized the need to broaden the target. However, she explained that limited resources represent a barrier. Vaccines are expensive, and acquiring them remains a challenge. However, she reassured the group that an HPV vaccination catch-up campaign, initially planned for 2024, is planned for 2025. This campaign will target girls aged 10 to 18, thanks to the efforts of the State and its partners.
- Dr Neya also requested the support of associations to raise awareness among communities and guarantee the success of this campaign. “We are counting on you to provide the right information and explain that even if vaccination is free for beneficiaries, its cost is borne elsewhere,” she stressed.
As a reminder, cervical cancer caused by HPV is the second most common cancer among women in Burkina Faso. According to Globocan 2020 data, the country recorded 1,132 new cases of this cancer, resulting in 839 deaths, representing a mortality rate of 74.1% among diagnosed cases.
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