Kenya is considering extending HPV vaccination to boys.
Medical Services PS Ouma Oluga says Kenya could vaccinate boys in future, while a national survey shows only 20 per cent of girls have received a second dose.
Kenya is considering extending HPV vaccination to boys as low second-dose uptake among girls challenges disease prevention efforts. Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga said the expansion could form part of Kenya’s long-term prevention strategy.
However, the current programme continues to focus on girls. The latest Kenya Mini Demographic and Health Survey shows that 59 per cent have received at least one dose, but only 20 per cent have received the recommended second dose.
HPV vaccination coverage rises, but completion trails
First-dose coverage increased from 30 per cent in the 2022 survey to 59 per cent in the latest findings. However, the gap between initial uptake and second-dose coverage remains a concern for efforts to complete the recommended vaccination schedule.
Oluga acknowledged the need to strengthen vaccination efforts and extend protection against the virus among young people. The figures also point to continuing challenges with follow-up, public awareness and access to vaccination services.
Meanwhile, Oluga highlighted the scale of cervical cancer in Kenya, saying it affects approximately 7,000 women each year. Improving vaccination coverage remains central to the government’s efforts to prevent the disease and other HPV-related conditions.
Protection for boys under consideration
Oluga identified vaccinating boys as an option for future attention rather than an immediate programme change. Such an expansion would also require additional planning and resources to extend protection beyond the programme’s current focus on girls.
Vaccinating boys can help reduce HPV transmission while protecting them against related conditions, including certain cancers. Programmes have traditionally prioritised girls because the vaccine helps prevent cervical cancer.
Persistent infection with high-risk HPV types causes most cervical cancer cases. The virus spreads primarily through sexual contact. Vaccination before exposure therefore offers the strongest protection against infection and related diseases, supporting prevention efforts among young people.
