The government of Bangladesh, supported by UNICEF, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), and WHO, has launched a ground-breaking Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign. 

This initiative aims to protect the health and future of millions of girls across Bangladesh by safeguarding them against cervical cancer, a disease that claims the lives of thousands of women in the country annually.

Targeting over 10 million girls studying in grades V to IX, including those who are out of educational institutions aged between 10 to 14 years, the safe and highly effective vaccine will be provided free of cost.

The first phase in Dhaka, spanning 18 days, will see eligible girls receiving the vaccine at their educational institutes or designated vaccination centers after registering on the “Vaxepi” app or website. Subsequently, other divisions will be covered in 2024.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said the government of Bangladesh is committed to ensuring health services for all the people of the country. 

"The government has already achieved remarkable success in preventing maternal and child death and disability by providing vaccinations against vaccine-preventable diseases," he said. 

The Health Minister said Bangladesh has established itself as a role model around the world in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"For the outstanding success of the immunization program in Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been awarded the Vaccine Hero Award by Gavi in 2019. Today we have reached a milestone in the history of EPI program, as we are going to start the great journey of making the country free of cervical cancer by providing one dose of HPV vaccine against a deadly disease like cervical cancer,” he said.

With the support of Gavi, UNICEF has provided 2.3 million HPV vaccines for all girls in the Dhaka division. 

The government has expressed its commitment to reach vulnerable communities, engaging with the Ministry of Education, and implementing special programs to include out-of-school girls, including those living on the streets.

“Congratulations to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for their commitment towards safeguarding the future of adolescent girls in Bangladesh by enhancing access to the life-saving HPV vaccine,” said Thabani Maphosa, Managing Director of Country Programmes Delivery at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. 

“Achieving widespread coverage will be integral to protect the health and potential of all girls, and to reduce the burden of cervical cancer in the country. Gavi is proud to collaborate on this critical vaccine introduction to help save lives.”

Cervical cancer is caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). However, a single dose of the HPV vaccine has the potential to prevent cervical cancer, making this campaign a crucial step toward eliminating this threat.

“It is a tragedy that millions of women die from cervical cancer in Bangladesh, a disease which can be prevented with a single dose of vaccine to girls at an early age. We are pleased to support the Government in introducing the HPV vaccine, a vaccine that will save millions of lives and will help protect the future of adolescent girls across the country,” saidSheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh. 

UNICEF and WHO are collaborating closely with the government to ensure the successful execution of the vaccination campaign. 

Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque