It seems that the spiraling concern pertaining to the spread of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and related Cancers has been finally addressed. With 1,855 women getting infected with HPV annually, a full-fledged national prevention program has been kicked off in Rwanda last week.

Under the drive, conducted by collaborative effort of the government, Merck, US-based drug manufacturer and Qiagen, a German diagnostics firm, HPV vaccine will be given to approximately 128,000 girls aged 12-15 years while women aged 35-40 will undergo screening process first.

Moreover, Merck has confirmed about 2 million doses of the HPV vaccine, Gardasil and Qiagen will provide 250,000 DNA based molecular screening tests in addition to connected equipment and further, assured of training to run HPV screening for a period of three years.

Though the global vaccines alliance GAVI is pondering to fund the programme after three years, the government has confirmed its financial stimulus, for the same, to keep the momentum of the drive.

Moreover, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, has assured that the HPV vaccine will reach to the girls who are not going to school.

Meanwhile, there is confirmed news that Kenya, Cameroon, Ghana, Lesotho, Tanzania and Uganda will soon get access to such programmes under the global coalition Cervical Cancer Action.