Malawi has vaccinated 91 percent of the targeted 2.5 million girls in the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign aimed at eliminating cervical cancer and protecting girls and women from the disease.
Speaking in Lilongwe yesterday during a conference organised by the Community of Sant Egidio Dream Programme, Ministry of Health Principal Secretary (PS) for Administration Beston Chisamile said reaching 91 percent of the targeted group in the vaccination campaign that targeted, girls aged 9 to 18, is a great step in the fight against cervical cancer.
The conference was aimed at discussing progress and challenges in the fight against HPV, a virus that causes cervical cancer.
Chisamile said government is committed to fighting cervical cancer, noting that the campaign, which ran from October 27 to November 1, has been extended to December 31 to cover those who missed out.
He said from January 2026, the vaccination will focus on girls aged nine.
Said Chisamile: “We need to strengthen the HPV vaccination programmes, we need to expand screening, we need to integrate cervical cancer services at all levels and ensuring treatment and follow up for women diagnosed with cancer. There is more that needs to be done.”
Before the multi-age vaccination campaign launched in October, the country vaccination coverage was at 38 percent which was way below the 90 percent target set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to be achieved by 2025.
However, Chisamile said the country is still not doing well on targets that were set on screening and treatment.
The Malawi cervical cancer elimination strategy targets to have 90 percent of girls vaccinated by the age of 15, have 70 percent of women screened with a high-quality test by the ages 35 and 45, and also have 90 percent of women with cervical disease receiving treatment by 2030.
Currently screening of the targeted group stands at 40 percent while treatment coverage stands at 50 percent.
Chisamile commended the Sant Egidio Dream Programme and other partners for supporting government in the fight against cervical cancer.
Weighing in, Ministry of Health chief reproductive health officer Blair Sibale said government will adopt the self initiated testing to ensure that more women are getting screened.
He said a study has shown that more women are preferring the self initiated testing approach where women collect samples on their own for HPV DNA screening.
In his remarks, Sant Egidio Dream Programme head of programmes and clinical services Sangare Hawa Mamary said government and partners are doing everything possible to protect girls and women from cervical cancer.
She said Malawi needs to promote demand creation for HPV screening, noting that having more women screened will help identify women that have cervical cancer and treat them early.
WHO has since commended government for increasing vaccination coverage and stressed on the need to sustain the gains, calling on the Malawi Government to work on improving numbers for screening and to achieve targets.
Malawi ranks first globally in cervical cancer mortality at 54.1 deaths per 100 000 population, and second in incidence at 70.9 cases per 100 000 population.
In 2022, Malawi recorded 4 145 cases of cervical cancer and 2 905 deaths.
