Only about three in 10 eligible girls in Kenya received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in 2023, according to a United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) report.
The HPV vaccine can prevent cancers, including cervical cancer. It's recommended for girls between the ages nine and 45.
The State of African Children 2025 Statistical Compendium revealed that only 33 percent of adolescent females received this life-saving jab, highlighting a critical gap in Kenya's public health efforts to prevent cervical cancer, which is one of the most common and preventable cancers affecting women and girls.
When administered before exposure to the virus, typically between the ages of nine and 14, the HPV vaccine provides more than 90 percent protection against the most dangerous strains of HPV, particularly types 16 and 18, which are responsible for the majority of cervical cancers.
According to the Ministry of Health, the government is working to integrate cervical cancer prevention into primary healthcare services across the country, a shift that prioritises prevention over a purely curative approach and supports the country's Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals.
Efforts will focus on expanding access to HPV vaccination, routine screening and timely treatment.
"The fight against cervical cancer isn't just about statistics; it's about saving lives. We must take bold steps to ensure that every woman and girl has access to the preventive services that will protect them from this deadly disease," said the ministry.
Cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women in Kenya, after breast cancer, and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women.
According to the latest GLOBO-CAN 2022 report, there are 5,845 new cases and 3,591 deaths in the country each year, with many cases occurring in young women under the age of 35, making cervical cancer a major public health challenge.
This situation is concerning because HPV-related infections often begin silently in adolescence and, if left untreated, can progress to life-threatening conditions.
Despite being added to the national immunisation schedule in 2019, uptake of the HPV vaccine remains alarmingly low, a situation attributed to misinformation and persistent myths, including fears of infertility and the misconception that the vaccine encourages early sexual activity.
