Why HPV matters for women who deliver vaccines #TeachToReach #VaccinesWork #HPV #cervicalcancer

Teach to Reach 8 on 16 June 2023 Opening Ceremony: Women Who Deliver Vaccines Teach to Reach 8 was opened by the Women Who Deliver Vaccines collective, who shared their experience of HPV vaccine introduction to help prevent 340,000 deaths from cervical cancer. Listen to the voices of Women Who Deliver Vaccines explain why HPV vaccine matters Learn more about Women Who Deliver Vaccines https://www.learning.foundation/iwd 16,835 health professionals from the frontlines of immunization and primary health care (PHC) are using the power of peer learning to tackle their local challenges through the Teach to Reach global learning-to-action network. The live event was held on Friday 16 June 2023, focused on one-to-one networking between participants. Friday’s live event was powerful. However, this live learning moment was just one step of Teach to Reach. # Health workers share strategies to boost HPV vaccine acceptance across Africa At Teach to Reach 8, health workers from Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone shared their experiences implementing HPV vaccination programs, revealing both challenges and innovative solutions to protect young girls from cervical cancer. With global HPV vaccination coverage declining from 15% to 12% during the pandemic, and 600,000 new cervical cancer cases occurring annually, their insights carry particular urgency. ## From resistance to acceptance: Kenya's experience Penina Okech, working at the district level in Kenya, described how initial resistance to HPV vaccination stemmed from misconceptions that it was a family planning method targeting young girls. "The strategy from the Ministry of Health was that the girls were supposed to visit the health facility to receive the vaccine, but it did not take off as expected," Okech explained. "We had several vaccine doses which expired as the health workers waited for the girls to come." In response, Okech and her team implemented multiple strategies: - Engaging men, women, teachers and youth through targeted sensitization - Recruiting community leaders as vaccine champions - Distributing informational materials in strategic locations - Conducting radio talk shows about vaccine benefits - Creating updated school registers to track eligible girls - Screening girls for vaccination status at health facility entrances ## Preparing for introduction in Nigeria In Nigeria, where HPV vaccine is set to be introduced, Fanny Ogwu, a nurse epidemiologist and retired assistant director of nursing services, found zero knowledge about HPV vaccines in rural communities. "Of over 120 students that we presented these questions to, nobody knows anything about it," she said. "The few that had an idea were mistaking it for HIV and AIDS." Ogwu is working to: - Launch awareness campaigns in rural secondary schools - Initiate HPV screening for women aged 15-49 - Build capacity among community leaders for effective communication - Partner with political leaders and philanthropists to fund vaccine access ## Religious leadership in Cameroon Dr. Bile Nestor Binkar shared how religious opposition initially hampered HPV vaccination in Cameroon. A letter from a high-profile religious leader instructing against vaccine administration in health facilities and schools created significant resistance. Binkar successfully used a position paper from the Catholic Medical Association stating that vaccination decisions should rest with parents to conduct advocacy and improve acceptance. ## Success story from Sierra Leone Jibrilla Badayimba Timbo, M&E officer for Sierra Leone's EPI program, detailed how his country achieved 92% HPV vaccination coverage through comprehensive stakeholder engagement: - Involving paramount chiefs from 152 chiefdoms in planning - Engaging education ministry leadership and school administrators - Integrating HPV vaccination with COVID-19 vaccination efforts - Using district education directors to overcome resistance Laura Anais Zoltek, who leads HPV work at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, emphasized the importance of engaging multiple stakeholders and maintaining flexibility in service delivery approaches. She noted that linking HPV vaccination clearly to cervical cancer prevention, rather than sexual health, has proven particularly effective in building public confidence. The session demonstrated how health workers are adapting global vaccination strategies to local contexts while building trust through community engagement. Their experiences offer valuable lessons as more countries prepare to introduce or strengthen HPV vaccination programs. *Note: Names and roles are presented as transcribed from spoken contributions. Due to audio quality and transcription challenges, some spellings may not be exact.*