Abstract B092: Promoting HPV vaccination among adolescent girls in Ghana, West Africa: A case study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related death among Ghanaian women. Although there are vaccines available to protect women against human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer, the use of cervical cancer screening and prevention services among Ghanaian women remains low. In addition, many people in Ghana still reside in areas where access to health care services such as vaccinations and cancer screening is limited. Description: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, established a pilot HPV vaccine program to provide subsidized HPV vaccines to young girls living in low-income countries with a high cervical cancer burden. To be eligible, countries must demonstrate their capacity to vaccinate more than 50% of young girls between ages 9-13 years living in an average-sized district or community. In November 2013, the Ghanaian government partnered with Gavi to provide subsidized vaccines to over 6,000 girls living in seventeen districts in the Greater Accra, Central and Northern regions. Lessons Learned: Lack of political commitment is a challenge to the successful implementation of the HPV vaccine program in Ghana. Financial uncertainty, logistical problems such as poor infrastructure, lack of public buy-in, and the lack of relevant scientific data to inform decision making are threats to the successful implementation of the HPV vaccine initiative in Ghana. Conclusion: To improve vaccination coverage rate, we recommend that the Ghanaian government commits to making HPV vaccination a health priority. Community participation and buy-in must be strengthened through active advertisement and outreach programs. This case study has also given an indication of the importance of further studies on the burden of cervical cancer in Ghana and cost effectiveness of an HPV vaccine initiative. Note: This abstract was not presented at the conference. Citation Format: Joycelyn Cudjoe, Dora Cudjoe, Bernard Fiifi Brakatu. Promoting HPV vaccination among adolescent girls in Ghana, West Africa: A case study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2018 Nov 2-5; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl):Abstract nr B092.