Sierra Leone introduces HPV vaccine to protect girls from cervical cancer

FREETOWN, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- The government of Sierra Leone has introduced the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to protect girls from cervical cancer, said a press statement by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) on Tuesday.

MoHS, with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and World Health Organization (WHO), will administer HPV vaccines nationwide through schools targeting 153,991 10-year-old girls, who will each receive two doses over a six-month period, the statement said.