BY NADIA NTIAMOAH
The Ghana Health Service (GHS), in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and its partners, has announced a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign aimed at protecting eligible girls against cervical cancer and other diseases associated with HPV infection.
The exercise, which will be implemented through the School Health Education Programme (SHEP), forms part of the Periodic Intensification of Routine Immunisation (PIRI) initiative designed to increase awareness and improve uptake of the routine HPV vaccine among eligible girls across the country.
In a press release dated October 19, 2026, and signed by the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, the Service announced that the campaign would be conducted in two rounds between October and December 2026.
The first round is scheduled for Monday, October 19, to Friday, October 23, 2026, while the second round will take place from Monday, November 30, to Friday, December 4, 2026.
During the campaign, health personnel will visit schools nationwide to administer the HPV vaccine to eligible girls aged 9 to 14 who have not yet received the vaccine. The initiative is intended to strengthen routine immunisation and expand protection against cervical cancer and other illnesses linked to HPV infection.
The Ghana Health Service is urging school authorities, parents, guardians, teachers and community leaders to cooperate with health teams to ensure the successful implementation of the exercise.
Parents and guardians, in particular, are encouraged to support the vaccination effort and work with school authorities and health personnel to ensure that eligible girls benefit from the programme.
The Service emphasised that the campaign forms part of its broader commitment to protecting and promoting the health and well-being of Ghanaians, particularly children, through preventive healthcare and strengthened immunisation programmes.
The GHS also expressed appreciation to its partners and stakeholders for their continued collaboration in efforts to safeguard children’s health and build a healthier nation.
