UNICEF has joined forces with six Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to strengthen community engagement and expand access to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine across Ghana, with particular focus on out-of-school girls between the ages of 9 and 14.
The partnership—which includes Theatre for Social Change (TfSC), Curious Minds Ghana, DAWAH Academy, Muslim Women in Teaching (MUSWIT), The Light Foundation, and Meta Foundation—is part of a broader nationwide effort to prevent cervical cancer, currently one of the leading causes of death among women in Ghana.
At the annual National Conference of Muslim Women in Teaching in Kumasi, UNICEF Social and Behaviour Change Specialist, Charity Nikoi, underscored the central role of CSOs in the HPV vaccine rollout.
She explained that the organizations would not only engage with schools but also extend outreach to communities where many girls remain outside the classroom.
According to her, CSOs will focus on four key strategies: working closely with religious and community leaders to build trust, taking vaccine information directly into homes, training local volunteers to share accurate messages, and using peer networks to remind eligible girls about vaccination opportunities.
“UNICEF is also tackling the out-of-school youth for the new HPV vaccine that Ghana wants to introduce, and we do that through CSOs and MUSWIT is one of them. The HPV is going to be for girls 9 to 14 years both in and out of school, so the CSOs will be engaging parents, teachers, and communities so that all children get the same understanding,” Madam Nikoi explained.
“Whether you are in school or not, for UNICEF we don’t leave any child behind.”
She further encouraged Muslim women leaders to champion the vaccine at public gatherings and family events, stressing the need to dispel fears and misconceptions.
She called on CSOs and teachers to support both school-based vaccination programs and community-based campaigns, while also fighting misinformation with the help of the media, health experts, and trained volunteers.
In many communities, UNICEF noted, religious beliefs and cultural myths often influence public perception of vaccines.
To counter this, MUSWIT has been equipped with resources to lead grassroots advocacy in Muslim-majority areas where misinformation could easily derail the HPV vaccination campaign.
Speaking at the conference, Hajia Aminadeen Ibrahim, National President of Muslim Women in Teaching Ghana, said their involvement would make a significant difference in building trust among parents and guardians.
“Sometimes when vaccination is only done in schools, children outside the school system are left behind. Many of these children belong to large families in Muslim communities. If they are not properly educated about the HPV vaccine, they may reject it,” she explained.
“As Muslims, our people listen to us more when we speak to them directly. For this program, I entreat parents, especially mothers and sisters, to allow their children to participate. Too often, we attach religious doubts to such initiatives, but this time we must look beyond fear and embrace what will protect our girls.”
The HPV vaccine is medically proven to protect against strains of the virus responsible for most cervical cancer cases.
Public health experts warn that cervical cancer continues to claim the lives of hundreds of Ghanaian women every year, despite being preventable through vaccination and early screening.
Ghana’s rollout strategy aims to provide every eligible girl—whether in school or not—with access to the vaccine.
UNICEF believes that the active involvement of CSOs, teachers, parents, and religious leaders will be crucial in reaching communities where awareness remains low and myths persist.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
