By Marian Magdalene Bangura, Strategic Communications Unit – MoICE
The Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Health, has launched an ambitious nationwide campaign to vaccinate one million girls aged 11 to 18 years against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) — the leading cause of cervical cancer.
Speaking at the government’s weekly press conference at the Miatta Civic Centre in Freetown, Dr. Jalikatu Mustapha, Deputy Minister of Health II, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating cervical cancer in Sierra Leone within the next two decades.
“No woman in Sierra Leone should ever die again from a disease that can be prevented,”
Dr. Mustapha declared, echoing the directive of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, who has made women’s health a cornerstone of his administration’s agenda.
The Deputy Minister’s remarks came as the world observed the first-ever Global Action Day for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer on November 17, 2025 — a milestone that brought together global health leaders, advocates, and policymakers in a unified call to end the disease.
“Sierra Leone proudly joined the world in celebrating this historic day,” Dr. Mustapha said. “We did it in grand style to show our collective determination to save women’s lives.”
Cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women in Sierra Leone, after breast cancer. Each year, an estimated 500 new cases are diagnosed in the country, and over 70 percent of affected women die from the disease.
“What makes cervical cancer particularly tragic,” Dr. Mustapha noted, “is that it is one of the few cancers that can actually be prevented through a simple and effective vaccine.”
The HPV vaccine, which prevents infection by the virus that causes cervical cancer, is over 90 percent effective when administered before exposure — typically during adolescence.
The Ministry of Health first piloted the HPV vaccine in 2013, but the effort gained major momentum in 2023 when the government, supported by Gavi, UNICEF, and other partners, launched a National Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy.
That year, Sierra Leone became one of the first countries in Africa to introduce the HPV vaccine into its routine immunization schedule. Nearly 200,000 girls aged 10 years were vaccinated within two weeks of the rollout, and as of today, more than 500,000 girls have received the vaccine.
The new campaign expands coverage to every eligible girl aged 11 to 18, both in and out of school.
According to Dr. Mustapha, the Ministry has developed a strong out-of-school outreach plan to ensure that “no girl is left behind, no matter where she lives.”
Alongside vaccination, the Ministry has established 24 cervical cancer screening and treatment centers across all districts — including seven in the Western Area.
Each site is equipped with trained health workers and diagnostic tools that allow women to be screened, diagnosed, and treated on the same day. This innovation, Dr. Mustapha explained, is crucial to preventing deaths caused by late detection.
To enhance treatment options, the Ministry has partnered with Zambian medical specialists who are training local surgeons to perform cervical cancer operations in Sierra Leone.
“For the first time, these surgeries can now be done locally,” Dr. Mustapha revealed, “eliminating the need for women to travel abroad and spend thousands of dollars for treatment.”
The Ministry has also established local hospice care units for women in advanced stages of the disease, providing palliative care and comfort.
Dr. Mustapha expressed optimism that with sustained efforts, cervical cancer could be eliminated in Sierra Leone within 10 to 20 years.
“As a ministry, we are deeply passionate about this cause,” she said. “My own grandmother died of cervical cancer at a time when we didn’t even understand the disease. Today, we have the tools and the knowledge to prevent it — and we will.”
She reaffirmed that the Ministry of Health remains guided by President Bio’s vision of “healthcare for all”, particularly for women and girls.
“This is more than a health programme,” Dr. Mustapha concluded. “It is a promise — that every girl in Sierra Leone will have the right to a healthy, cancer-free future.”
