Ms Justine Sefakor Alornyo, the Akatsi South Municipal Director of Health Services, has called for concerted efforts by all stakeholders in the fight against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections among the Ghanaian populace.

She said HPV vaccination and education campaign, which remained the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that are transmitted primarily through sexual contact and close skin-to-skin contact, must be tackled by all.

Ms Alornyo made the disclosure at the Akatsi South Municipal Assembly hall in an engagement with assembly members, the media, and other opinion leaders on the need to educate their community members ahead of the nationwide vaccination exercise.

She revealed that HPV causes many conditions depending on the type, including those that cause cancers like cervical, anal, throat, vaginal, and penile cancers.

Risk factors for HPV infection include early initiation of sexual activity and sex with multiple partners where she reiterated that the HPV vaccine was an effective measure to prevent its infection and the related health outcomes, “particularly cervical cancer among women.”

“Several HPV exist but about 14 of them are known to cause cancer. This is the cancer of the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Cervical cancer happens when the cells at the opening of the womb become abnormal and start to grow out of control,” she explained.

According to health experts, cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer and cancer-related deaths among women in Ghana.

Under the cervical cancer burden in Ghana, statistics further revealed that over 3,000 new cases and 2,000 deaths have been recorded annually, mostly affecting women aged 40–50 years.

The HPV vaccine, according to the Ghana Health Service, would prevent persistent infection with high-risk HPV types and their related cancers.

The vaccination exercise is expected to commence from Tuesday, October 7, to Saturday, October 11, across the entire Municipality for girls aged 9 to 14.

Participants have since expressed interest in the awareness creation campaign within their various electoral areas.