The Department of Health has announced that it will begin the 2026 Human Papillomavirus vaccination campaign on Monday 02 February to protect girls aged 9 years and older from developing cervical cancer later in life. South Africa continues to record high numbers of cervical cancer cases and deaths each year, despite the availability of the vaccine in both public health facilities and the private health sector.
More than 5700 new cases of cervical cancer are reported annually, while over 3000 women die from complications related to the disease. Unvaccinated girls and women living with HIV face a higher risk of developing severe health complications if they later develop cervical cancer compared to the general population.
Since the introduction of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Programme in 2014, more than 3.6 million girls have benefited, mainly in public schools, with over 7.2 million vaccine doses administered. The programme has now been expanded to include girls in public schools, private schools and special independent schools to ensure wider access. The annual campaign mainly targets Grade 5 learners aged 9 years and older. Cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women in South Africa after breast cancer.
The success of the vaccination campaign depends on strong cooperation among stakeholders, particularly parents and caregivers who must complete and sign consent forms issued by schools for eligible learners.
The Department of Health has urged parents, caregivers and legal guardians to prioritise their children’s health and future by signing the consent forms to allow access to the free and lifesaving vaccine. Trained healthcare teams, including nurses, will visit schools nationwide to administer the vaccine as part of the Integrated School Health Programme.
The school based vaccination campaign is implemented in partnership with the Department of Basic Education and other stakeholders such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund.
The HPV vaccine is safe and most effective when given from age 9 or before girls become sexually active. In South Africa, the vaccine was approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority in 2008 after confirming its safety and effectiveness. Millions of girls have received the vaccine without serious side effects.
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