A three-year global campaign to deliver the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to low-income countries has prevented 1.4 million future cervical cancer deaths, the Vaccine Alliance Gavi announced on Monday.
According to Gavi, the initiative—launched in partnership with lower-income nations—has so far protected 86 million girls from HPV, the leading cause of cervical cancer. The announcement came as the world marked World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day.
“An estimated 86 million girls are now protected against the leading cause of cervical cancer, thanks to a concerted three-year effort by Gavi and lower-income countries,” the organisation said in a statement.
It added that 1.4 million future deaths have been averted as a result of the coordinated effort.
Cervical cancer disproportionately affects low-resource settings that lack screening services and treatment facilities. In 2022 alone, these countries accounted for 90 percent of the 350,000 global cervical cancer deaths, Gavi noted.
Gavi’s chief executive Sania Nishtar praised the global alliance for accelerating access to lifesaving vaccines.
“This collaborative effort is driving major global progress towards eliminating one of the deadliest diseases affecting women,” she said.
She cautioned, however, that cervical cancer still kills a woman every two minutes worldwide.
Africa Shows Strong Progress
Across Africa, HPV vaccination coverage has surged from 4 percent in 2014 to 44 percent by the end of 2024, surpassing Europe’s 38 percent coverage rate. Gavi attributed this success to stronger political commitment, large-scale vaccination rollouts and improved access to affordable doses.
Through its market-shaping model, Gavi negotiated substantial price reductions, enabling nearly 50 low-income countries to access HPV vaccines.
Under Gavi-supported pricing, doses now cost between $2.90 and $5.18, compared to $100 or more in higher-income countries.
Global vaccination efforts were further accelerated after the World Health Organization endorsed a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule in 2022, replacing the previous two-dose requirement. This change allowed countries to double the number of girls vaccinated using existing vaccine supplies.
Gavi said continued partnerships with manufacturers and governments will be crucial in advancing the global goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health threat.
