{
  "id": 17808394,
  "title": "THE CONVERSATION: South Africa’s HPV vaccination drive to protect girls from cervical cancer is working",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/the-conversation-south-africas-hpv-vaccination-drive-to-protect-girls",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-11-02T14:46:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-11-02-south-africas-hpv-vaccination-drive-to-protect-girls-from-cervical-cancer-is-working/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Africa's HPV vaccination program, launched in public schools in 2014, has been proven to be highly effective in preventing cervical cancer. The program offered the vaccine to grade 4 girls aged nine years and older, with an initial uptake of 87% during the first year. Cervical cancer is primarily caused by persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a common virus transmitted through sexual contact. HPV types 16 and 18 alone are responsible for approximately 70% of cervical cancer cases worldwide.\n\nKey findings from the study indicate that infections with HPV types 16 and 18 decreased by 83% between pre-vaccine and post-vaccine groups. This translates to a reduction from nearly one in five girls carrying these high-risk HPV types to approximately three in every 100 girls. The benefits of the vaccination program were equally significant among girls living with HIV, with HPV 16/18 infections falling by 82% (from 29% to 4%). Additionally, evidence of cross-protection was observed, where reductions in other related high-risk HPV types further strengthened the program's impact.\n\nThe study also highlighted indirect protection, suggesting that when most people are vaccinated, the virus spreads less in the community, thereby protecting unvaccinated individuals. This finding is particularly relevant for South Africa, which faces a high burden of cervical cancer, and for other African countries with high HIV prevalence that are working towards cervical cancer elimination. The World Health Organization recommends a single-dose HPV vaccine for the general population, and South Africa has since adopted this approach. Continued monitoring will be crucial to ensure the program's long-term success, especially among people living with HIV.",
  "summary": "South Africa introduced a vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV) in public schools in 2014. The programme offered the vaccination to grade 4 girls aged nine years and older. Uptake was high from the start. About 87% of eligible girls received at least one dose during the first year.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "South Africa's health department seeks alternative medicines amid drug shortages",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/south-africas-health-department-seeks-alternative-medicines-amid-drug",
        "published": "2026-10-31T04:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}