Field workers share innovative approaches to HPV vaccination acceptance (Teach to Reach 9)

# Field workers share innovative approaches to HPV vaccination acceptance at Teach to Reach 9 Healthcare workers and community leaders from multiple countries shared their frontline experiences with HPV vaccination programs during a special session at Teach to Reach 9, highlighting successful strategies for building vaccine confidence and overcoming hesitancy. The session, which followed up on discussions from Teach to Reach 8, focused on the critical question "How have you made HPV vaccination work for girls and women?" Against the backdrop of concerning statistics - 600,000 new cervical cancer cases and 340,000 deaths annually, with vaccination coverage declining since the COVID-19 pandemic - participants shared concrete examples of local solutions. ## Nigeria launches nationwide campaign Boma Otobo, an adolescent health and HPV vaccine introduction consultant to Lagos state, described Nigeria's preparations for a major HPV vaccination campaign launching October 24, 2023. The initiative targets girls aged 9-14 years through both school-based and community outreach approaches. "We have done the micro plan in Nigeria. We have been able to get our HR requirements sorted. Logistics have moved," Otobo explained. The program conducted rapid community assessments and extensive engagement with schools, religious groups, and traditional leaders to address concerns and build support. ## Community-level innovation Several speakers highlighted the critical importance of direct community engagement: Zuhura Gaki Ahmed, a community health worker from Meru, Kenya, described her successful approach to addressing vaccine hesitancy: "I talked to both the mother and the girls...I gave them an example of a certain lady who had this problem. When she was asked whether she had ever been vaccinated, she said she had never been vaccinated." In Uganda, Rebecca Akelo, a public health nurse, leveraged concerning data on teenage pregnancies to build support for HPV vaccination. She engaged education officials and school leaders, using parent-teacher meetings to explain the science behind the vaccine. "I had to draw for them the uterus and locate where the cervix is and how the vaccine will prevent cervical cancer. They really appreciated the science behind that," Akelo shared. ## Integration and partnership approaches Michael Jones from Sierra Leone described an innovative approach of integrating HPV vaccination with COVID-19 vaccination, which helped overcome resource constraints while achieving higher than expected coverage. The program vaccinated girls at age 10 for HPV and both boys and girls at age 12 for COVID-19. In India, Dr. O.P. Kansal highlighted a new initiative to address hesitancy among medical professionals themselves. The American Cancer Society, working with the Indian Academy of Pediatrics and Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecologists Society of India, launched virtual training programs to build healthcare provider confidence in recommending HPV vaccination. ## Key success factors Laura Shimp, director of the Immunization Center at JSI, identified three critical elements for successful HPV vaccination programs: 1. Leveraging girl advocates and peer-to-peer learning 2. Partnering with cancer prevention groups to emphasize the vaccine's role in cancer prevention 3. Building strong partnerships with education ministries and religious groups Deepa Pokhrel from UNICEF headquarters emphasized the importance of: - Conducting rapid community assessments to understand local concerns - Engaging young people directly in program design - Addressing misinformation quickly through trusted community channels - Moving beyond mass media to focus on sustained community engagement The session demonstrated how local innovation and adaptation, combined with strong partnerships and community engagement, can help overcome hesitancy and build acceptance of HPV vaccination. These insights will be particularly valuable as more countries launch or expand their HPV vaccination programs. ## About Teach to Reach Teach to Reach is a global forum where healthcare workers, community leaders, and public health professionals share field experiences and practical solutions. The format combines plenary sessions with networking opportunities, allowing participants to learn both from formal presentations and direct peer-to-peer exchanges. This session was part of Teach to Reach 9, building on discussions from previous events while incorporating new experiences and innovations from the field.