By ESWIN PLESIO
STRONG partnerships between government agencies, churches, education authorities, provincial health authorities and communities will be critical to expanding the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme across Papua New Guinea.
Deputy Secretary for Health – Public Health, Mr Ken Wai, said a coordinated national effort was needed to ensure all eligible girls, particularly those in remote communities and those not attending school, received the vaccine.
Speaking at a national multi-stakeholder advocacy meeting on the introduction of the HPV vaccine at Lamana Hotel in Port Moresby, Mr Wai said collaboration across sectors would be essential to protecting girls aged nine to 14 against cervical cancer.
He said the national launch of the HPV vaccine on September 8, 2026, marked an important step towards reducing the future burden of cervical cancer, which remains a major public health challenge in the country, claiming about 650 women’s lives each year.
Mr Wai said the first phase of the programme would target a broad age group, presenting implementation challenges that could only be addressed through strong community participation and support from key stakeholders.
He stressed that the programme was focused on protecting children and ensuring no eligible girl was left behind, regardless of where she lived or whether she attended school.
“This is not about anything else. This is about protecting our children,” he said.
Mr Wai said Papua New Guinea’s experience with immunisation programmes against measles, polio and other childhood illnesses demonstrated the importance of vaccination in preventing diseases and protecting communities.
He identified five priority areas for the HPV vaccination programme: national ownership, multi-sectoral collaboration, community engagement, resource mobilisation and long-term sustainability.
He said government agencies, development partners, churches, businesses and local communities all had important roles to play in building public awareness, supporting vaccine delivery and ensuring the programme reached every eligible girl.
Mr Wai said sustained cooperation among these partners would be essential not only for the successful rollout of the HPV vaccine but also for maintaining the programme into the future.