HPV and Cervical Cancer Prevention for West Africa

In West Africa, about one in five people have HPV. Studies have found that this high prevalence is explained by the presence of many factors that increase chances of contracting HPV in Mali. Early sexual activities and pregnancies increase the propensity for contracting HPV, and this is a common occurrence in Mali as girls are often married off during childhood or young adulthood. Having multiple sexual partners also increase the chance of carrying and contracting HPV, and as polygamy is culturally practiced, this is a factor that increases the spread of HPV, Having underlying sexually transmitted diseases, which are also easily spread through multiple partners, also increase the likelihood of being susceptible to HPV. 

As many of these factors are unlikely to disappear or change in the near future, it is crucial to provide HPV vaccinations to young girls and women in Mali. Prevention is a main pillar in GAIA VF’s mission - donate today to further the work!

In Mali, cervical cancer is the leading cause in female cancer-related deaths. Across West Africa, Mali has the third highest incidence rate of cervical cancer. On average, 38 out of 100,000 women develop cervical cancer. Almost all cases of cervical cancer can be linked to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is capable of lingering, taking upwards of 15 years to develop into cervical cancer. However, there are highly effective vaccines against HPV, decreasing infections by up to 86%. The vaccines are most effective when given before being infected, and many HPV vaccination campaigns are targeted at school-girls beginning with ages 11-13 years old.

Most vaccination campaigns focus on schools as the target age range is the usual school-going age. However, many children in Mali who do not attend schools are missed by these campaigns. Since 2019, school closures tripled in Mali due to political instability, threats of violence, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically, Mali is ranked in the top three among African countries for the lowest enrollment and completion rates for girls. This already provides less opportunities for school HPV vaccination campaigns to reach them. During the pandemic, further school closures forced 4 million girls out of school in Mali, Niger, and South Sudan combined. GAIA Vaccine Foundation’s clinic based vaccination drives provide more avenues for girls to be vaccinated against HPV and lower their risk of developing cervical cancer. At just 5 dollars per dose, you can directly impact the lifelong health of a child.