HPV and Cervical Cancer Prevention for West Africa

In Mali and many other developing countries, the HPV vaccine remains unavailable to the public. HPV is a primary cause of cervical cancer, which is one of the most common and fatal cancer amongst Malian women. HPV strains 16 and 18, which are the leading causes of cervical cancer, can be prevented through the HPV vaccine which is approved in 125 countries, including the United States. GAIA Vaccine Foundation’s ongoing program, “HPV and Cervical Cancer Prevention For West Africa” works to establish the best practices for the distribution of the HPV vaccine and Mali, which in turn would minimize the number of cervical cancer diagnoses. GAIA VF also actively advocates for the availability of the HPV vaccine in Mali. 

In a pilot project to assess the potential acceptance of the HPV vaccine in Mali, GAIA VF created a ‘story-telling’ cloth in West African wax print style that showed the HPV virus and illustrated how one can protect themself from the virus. Through the campaign, GAIA VF noticed a great interested in the HPV vaccine and potential to save many lives should it be introduced in Mali. 

The project “HPV and Cervical Cancer Prevention for West Africa” will help to reduce the rate of HPV infection in Mali by providing free cervical cancer screenings and continuing to educate the public on HPV. This, in turn, will reduce mortality rates caused by cervical cancer.

By supporting this ongoing program, you would be helping GAIA Vaccine Foundation tremendously through not only the increase of vaccination education and awareness, but also, by minimizing the death rate of cervical cancer. For a donation of $10, you would be providing a cervical cancer screening and printed cloth for one woman. For a donation of $15, you would be providing treatment for one woman with precancerous lesions. If you choose to donate $25, you would be providing cervical cancer screenings for five women, potentially saving their lives through this access to preventative measures. GAIA Vaccine Foundation thanks you for your ongoing support of our program, as we continue to lead the distribution of HIV vaccinations as well as cervical cancer awareness.