MAPUTO, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Mozambican health authorities vaccinated at least 2.9 million girls aged 12 to 18 against cervical cancer in 2025, Health Minister Ussene Isse was quoted by the Mozambique News Agency as saying on Monday.
Speaking in the southern municipality of Matola in Maputo, during the launch of the African Immunization Week, Isse said the vaccination campaign against the human papillomavirus (HPV), introduced last year, has been a key strategy to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer in the country.
"In Mozambique, the Expanded Program on Immunization has been operational since 1979. Over the years, we have introduced vaccines to prevent about 14 diseases of major public health concern," Isse said.
According to the minister, the HPV vaccination reached about 95 percent of the target group, marking one of several public health interventions implemented in 2025.
He added that two rounds of vaccination were carried out in response to the variant poliovirus type 2, covering children under the age of 10 nationwide, while a measles and rubella outbreak response campaign immunized around 1.1 million children under five in the provinces of Gaza and Maputo.
In addition, about 3.5 million people were vaccinated against cholera, and approximately 1.2 million children aged between zero and two years were fully immunized, meeting the government's initial targets to reduce infant mortality.
Despite the progress, Isse acknowledged persistent challenges, particularly in ensuring access to vaccination services in hard-to-reach areas. ■
