Hope in battle against cervical cancer as WHO okays new jab
The World Health Organization has approved a new vaccine to help tackle cases of cervical cancer especially in Kenya and Africa where a majority of the affected populations live. In an update, WHO said Cecolin vaccine is a single-use dose that meets the UN agency’s 2022 recommendations for alternative, off-label use of HPV vaccines in single-dose schedules.
The approval, WHO added, is based on new data that shows Cecolin met the set criteria. This move is a milestone that is poised to improve the sustainable supply of HPV vaccines and allow more girls to be reached with the vaccines that prevent cervical cancer.
“Unlike most other cancers, we have the ability to eliminate cervical cancer, along with its painful inequities. By adding another option for a one-dose HPV vaccination schedule, we have taken another step closer to consigning cervical cancer to history,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
WHO statistics show that 95 percent of the 660,000 cervical cancer cases occurring globally each year are caused by HPV. Moreover, a woman dies every two minutes from this preventable disease globally, with 90 percent of these deaths occurring in poor countries, the majority (19) of in Africa.
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Global supply shortages
According to WHO, HPV vaccine introductions have been hampered by global supply shortages since 2018 and production challenges encountered by one of the manufacturers earlier this year led to further shortfalls, potentially impacting millions of girls in need of HPV vaccines in Africa and Asia.
“Having 90 percent of girls fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by 15 years of age is the target for the first pillar of the WHO global strategy for cervical cancer elimination. Given the continuing supply challenges, this addition of single-dose vaccine product means countries will have greater choice of vaccines to reach more girls,” said Dr Kate O’Brien, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO.
WHO global data released on 15 July 2024 indicates that one-dose HPV vaccine coverage among girls aged 9-14 years increased to 27 percent last year from 20 percent in 2022. In 2023, a total of 37 countries were implementing the single-dose schedule and 57 countries were administering the single-dose schedule as of 10 September 2024.
Meanwhile, WHO estimates that the single-dose schedule adoption has resulted in at least 6 million additional girls being reached with HPV vaccines in 2023.
