HPV9 vaccine to become available to Caribbean countries starting July  

WASHINGTON, CMC – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) announced that starting in July, it will provide the 9-valent HPV vaccine to Caribbean countries through its Revolving Fund for Access to Vaccines.

This initiative, which will also be extended to other countries across the Americas, aims to enhance access to the vaccine, making it more affordable and efficient. The 9-valent vaccine offers protection against nine strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which are linked to various types of cancer.

“This initiative is expected to provide immunization programs with more tools to protect their populations against the most prevalent genotypes in cervical cancer and reduce the burden of HPV-related diseases: the 9-valent vaccine has five more valences than its previous version (quadrivalent vaccine) against these genotypes,” PAHO said.

It noted that all vaccines included in the portfolio of the PAHO Revolving Fund are prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO) or a reference authority, seeking to offer quality, safe health technologies aligned with technical criteria.

“The inclusion of the 9-valent HPV vaccine in a step forward in the fight against HPV-related cancers and an important tool for countries’ immunization programs,” said Santiago Cornejo, the executive manager of the PAHO Revolving Funds.

“By working together, we can make life-saving vaccines more accessible to all and continue advancing towards the goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2030.”

The 9-valent HPV vaccine is recommended for those between the ages of nine and 26 years, depending on each countries’ immunization schedule.

Vaccination is a key element of the PAHO Elimination Initiative, which seeks to end more than 30 diseases by 2030, including cervical cancer. The goal is to vaccinate 90 per cent of girls by 15 years of age with at least one dose of HPV vaccine.

The PAHO Revolving Fund enables countries to combine their purchasing power to negotiate better prices and ensure a permanent and timely supply of vaccines and related supplies. PAHO said this approach reduces costs and simplifies the acquisition process for participating countries.