Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women, in 2020 alone, an estimated 604,127 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 56% of them died from it.

In Nigeria, the International Agency for Research on Cancer estimates that in 2021, 12,075 cases and 7,968 related deaths were reported. The country has a high HPV burden with an incidence rate of 11.9. Cervical cancer is caused by an infection from the human papillomavirus (HPV). Effective vaccination lowers the risk of cervical cancer by up to 88%.

Vaccination, therefore, presents the safest and most cost-effective strategy for preventing cervical cancer and is recommended for young girls between the ages of 9 – 14 years.