The Department of Health has launched its 2026 Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination campaign, aimed at protecting girls aged nine years and older from developing cervical cancer later in life.

The nationwide drive begins on Monday, 2 February, and will be rolled out through schools across the country as part of the Integrated School Health Programme. Trained healthcare workers, including nurses, will visit schools to administer the vaccine free of charge.

Cervical cancer remains a major public health concern in South Africa, despite the availability of an effective vaccine in both the public and private health sectors. The country records more than 5,700 new cases of cervical cancer each year, while over 3,000 women die annually from complications related to the disease.

Health authorities warn that unvaccinated girls and women living with HIV face a higher risk of developing cervical cancer later in life compared to the general population.

The HPV vaccination programme was first introduced in South Africa in 2014 and has since benefitted more than 3.6 million girls, mostly in public schools. To date, over 7.2 million doses of the vaccine have been administered.

For the 2026 campaign, the programme has been expanded to include girls in public and private schools, as well as special independent schools. The campaign will mainly target girls in Grade 5 who are aged nine years and older.

Cervical cancer is currently the second most common cancer among women in South Africa, after breast cancer. The Department of Health says vaccinating girls at an early age is one of the most effective ways to reduce future cases and deaths linked to the disease.

The department has stressed that the success of the campaign depends on cooperation from parents and caregivers, who are required to complete and sign vaccination consent forms issued by schools.

Parents, caregivers and legal guardians have been urged to prioritise their children’s health by returning the signed consent forms to schools to allow eligible learners to receive the vaccine.

“This is a life-saving intervention that protects girls from a preventable but deadly disease,” said Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale.

The HPV vaccine is most effective when administered from age nine, before girls become sexually active. In South Africa, the vaccine was approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority in 2008 after being found to be safe and effective.

The Department of Health said millions of girls in South Africa have already received the HPV vaccine without any serious side effects.

The school-based vaccination campaign is being implemented in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, as well as international partners including the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Health officials say the campaign forms part of broader efforts to reduce the burden of cervical cancer and improve long-term health outcomes for women in South Africa.