HPV Vaccine Not Cause of Infertility — Health Expert

As Ghana rolls out the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for girls aged nine to 14 years, health officials have urged parents to disregard rumours that the vaccine can cause infertility.

The District Director of Health Services for Awutu Senya, Dr. Felix Gerald Kwaning Darbbey, says such claims are false and intended to discourage families from protecting their daughters against cervical cancer, one of the most common and deadly cancers among Ghanaian women.

“There is no scientific evidence anywhere that the HPV vaccine causes infertility. On the contrary, the vaccine prevents diseases that can cause infertility such as advanced cervical cancer,” he explained in an exclusive interview with The Spectator.

He said countries that introduced the vaccine over a decade ago have “seen no link to fertility problems,” adding that assertions that the vaccines may encourage early sexual initiation among girls are also unfounded.

“These myths seek to distract people from the issue, which is protecting our daughters from a preventable cancer. It is not about encouraging sex, it is about safeguarding the health of our girls,” Dr. Darbbey asserted.

He urged parents and caregivers to support the vaccination campaign by getting their girls vaccinated before they are exposed to HPV, which could affect them later in life.

“Parents should see this as a gift of protection for their daughters. The HPV vaccine is not just about today, it is about the future.

“A nine-year-old girl may not understand the benefit now, but what we are doing is giving her the chance to grow into a healthy woman, free from the fear of cervical cancer. This is a transformational moment for Ghana’s health system; let us all play our part to protect the next generation of women,” he said.

Ghana records more than 3,000 new cervical cancer cases each year, leading to about 2,000 deaths, according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends the HPV vaccine as one of the safest and most effective preventive tools in the world to reduce the global burden of cervical cancer.

Over 140 countries, including 28 African nations, have so far rolled out the vaccine.

By Abigail Annoh

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