The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has urged young girls to participate in the nationwide vaccination exercise against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
Speaking in Accra on October 8, 2025 during the launch of the HPV vaccination campaign, the Minister assured that the vaccines were “safe” and “effective,” as he sought to clear any forms of vaccine hesitancy among the general populace.
“You will agree with me that anytime there’s the introduction of any new vaccine, then the conspiracy theories start. And it has already started. Let me assure you that this HPV vaccine is safe, it is effective, and Ghana is not the first country to administer HPV vaccines,” he said.
The vaccination exercise will continue until October 12, 2025, and aims to inoculate 2.5 million girls between the ages of 9 and 14 against cervical cancer.
According to the Minister, even after the vaccination exercise ends, the HPV vaccine is going to be part of the Ghana Health Service’s routine immunisation programme.
“So after today, this very one, we are targeting not less than 2.5 million girls, and subsequently, it would be part of our routine immunisation,” he said.
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He added that: “It has been piloted from 2013 to 2018. It has been piloted, it’s safe, and in addition, consent forms have been distributed in the various schools. So it’s not as if we are going to force anybody against her will, but it is in your interest, the girl child, to protect yourself and protect the next generation.”
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in Ghana. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), over 3,000 women in Ghana are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, with only about 40% surviving.
What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection which can affect the skin, genital area and throat. Almost all sexually active people will be infected at some point in their lives, usually without symptoms.
Symptoms of HPV
Most people with an HPV infection show no symptoms. The immune system usually clears HPV from the body within a year or two with no lasting effects, according to the WHO.
Some HPV infections cause genital warts – small, rough lumps on the vagina, penis or anus and rarely the throat. They may be painful, itchy, or cause bleeding.
- High-risk HPV types may not cause noticeable symptoms until they progress to pre-cancers that may become cervical cancer. It usually takes 15–20 years for cervical cancer to develop after an HPV infection.
- The early changes in cervical cells and precancers mostly do not cause symptoms. Symptoms of cervical cancer may include bleeding between periods or after sexual intercourse, or a foul-smelling vaginal discharge.
Treatment and Prevention
There is currently no treatment for HPV infection. Treatments exist for genital warts, cervical pre-cancers, and cervical cancer.
- Vaccination remains the best way to prevent HPV infection, cervical cancer, and other HPV-related cancers.
- HPV vaccines are recommended for girls aged 9-14 years, before they become sexually active. It is also recommended for older adolescents and young adults who have not been vaccinated.
Written by: Gifty Danso
