Reducing the Burden of HPV Infection

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaigns in sub-Saharan Africa are a way to dramatically reduce rates of HPV and cervical cancer and successful examples have been seen, such as Rwanda’s National HPV immunization campaign. The Global Health & Innovation Lab is using implementation science to identify what strategies led to the success of Rwanda’s National HPV immunization campaign and is working to expand this success in other regions in Africa. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet still affects many in low- and middle-income countries.

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Overview 

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaigns in sub-Saharan Africa are a way to dramatically reduce rates of HPV and cervical cancer and successful examples have been seen, such as Rwanda’s National HPV immunization campaign. The Global Health & Innovation Lab is using implementation science to identify what strategies led to the success of Rwanda’s National HPV immunization campaign and is working to expand this success in other regions in Africa. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet still affects many in low- and middle-income countries. Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by HPV, which can be prevented through HPV vaccination. One of the most successful national HPV vaccination programs is the National HPV immunization program in Rwanda which has achieved high vaccination coverage since its conception in 2011. Despite the success of Rwanda’s national HPV vaccination program, limited studies are exploring the implementation of the program or translating its successes to similar programs in other African countries or settings.

Importance 

HPV vaccination campaigns in sub-Saharan Africa present a significant opportunity to reduce HPV and cervical cancer rates. Rwanda’s successful National HPV immunization campaign serves as a model for achieving high vaccination coverage and preventing cervical cancer. However, limited studies have explored the implementation of this program in other African countries. By utilizing implementation science, our research aims to identify the strategies that contributed to Rwanda’s success and apply them to similar programs in the region. Understanding the factors behind the success of Rwanda’s National HPV immunization program will inform the implementation of other national immunization programs in LMICs, contributing to the prevention of cervical cancer and improving global health outcomes.

Research Objectives

The Global Health & Innovation Lab is exploring the factors affecting the implementation of Rwanda’s National HPV immunization program. Specifically, the lab is exploring the challenges and successes of implementation and how this can inform the implementation of similar national immunization programs.

Implications

The implementation research results can build a body of evidence on implementing and adapting large-scale immunization programs in LMICs. Implementing and scaling similar national immunization programs can be successful if the implementation challenges are effectively addressed. Future explorations include leveraging lessons learned to support the effective implementation of large-scale immunization programs in low-resource settings.

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