Kenya stands at a crucial moment in its battle against cervical cancer, banking on a policy shift that health experts believe will fundamentally reshape the fight against a disease claiming over 3,500 women's lives every year, according to the latest Globocan, an interactive web-based platform presenting global cancer statistics.
"Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women and a leading cause of cancer deaths. Every day, 10 women in Kenya lose their lives to cervical cancer, and without decisive action, this number could rise to 22 daily deaths by 2040," said Globocan.
The transition to a single-dose HPV vaccination in November 2025 represents a strategic recalibration that could finally make the World Health Organisation's (WHO) ambitious elimination targets achievable while saving billions of shillings in healthcare costs.
"Within a month, we are moving from two doses of the HPV vaccine to a single dose," announced Patrick Amoth, Kenya's Director General of Health, speaking at the National Science Research Translation Congress in October 2025. "This shift is based on our own locally derived data."
"The switch to a single dose is guided by science. Evidence shows that one shot provides lasting protection against HPV infections that cause cervical cancer. "This marks a turning point in our fight against cervical cancer."
Director General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth addressing the press at Afya House in Nairobi pictured on January 15, 2024.
Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group
For a country where only 30 percent of girls complete the full two-dose vaccination series despite 60 percent starting the process, the single-dose policy change addresses the most critical obstacle in cervical cancer prevention: ensuring that protection reaches those who need it most, a strategic roadmap needed to achieve its 2030 elimination goals.
The WHO target mandates that 90 percent of girls are vaccinated against HPV, 70 percent of women are screened, and 90 percent of those diagnosed receive timely treatment.
Under the previous two-dose system, reaching the WHO's target of 90 percent coverage seemed nearly impossible, requiring the country to triple its current 30 percent completion rate—a 60-percentage-point jump, while simultaneously addressing supply shortages, infrastructure gaps, and the logistical nightmare of tracking millions of girls for follow-up appointments.
With the single-dose approach, Kenya's existing 60 percent first-dose coverage instantly translates to 60 percent fully vaccinated under the new policy definition.
To hit the WHO's 90 percent target of vaccinating the young girls, the country now needs to increase coverage by just 30 percentage points instead of 60, and the same vaccine supply that previously protected one fully vaccinated girl can now protect two, effectively doubling the programme's reach without increasing vaccine procurement budgets.
The single-dose policy provides Kenya with crucial breathing room in this transition by doubling the efficiency of each vaccine dose, allowing the country to achieve higher coverage with lower total vaccine volumes, thereby moderating the budget impact of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance graduation.
In 2020, Kenya paid just 20 percent of vaccine costs with Gavi covering the remaining 80 percent, but this percentage has been gradually increasing: 25 percent in 2022, 30 percent in 2023, 46 percent in 2024, 62 percent in 2025, and 80 percent in 2026, according to Gavi's co-financing policy.
From 2027 onwards, Kenya is expected to shoulder the full cost of its vaccination programmes.
Vaccinating a girl at age 10 costs the government approximately Sh1,230 at current subsidised rates, or Sh14,000 post-Gavi graduation, while the cost to the family is zero when delivered through school-based programmes.
The financial burden of cervical cancer treatment is catastrophic for Kenyan families, with early-stage treatment costing between Sh110,000 and Sh200,000 in public hospitals, while advanced stage III curative treatment ranges from Sh150,000 to Sh205,000, according to research published in BMC Health Services Research.
Chemotherapy alone averages Sh138,207 per patient per year, with individual cycles costing upwards of Sh30,000 and most patients requiring six or more cycles, bringing chemotherapy costs alone to Sh180,000 or more, the study found. Radiotherapy averages Sh119,036 per patient, while surgical interventions cost approximately Sh128,207 on average.
In private hospitals, the costs become even higher, with radiotherapy sessions costing Sh50,000 per week and patients requiring 30 or more sessions, bringing total radiotherapy costs to Sh1.5 million or higher. Brachytherapy packages in private facilities cost Sh800,000, compared to the Sh40,000 covered by the Social Health Authority in public facilities.
For families living on less than Sh30,000 monthly, these costs are unaffordable, forcing impossible choices between treatment, food, children's education, and keeping a roof over their heads.
Consequently, many women receive only partial radiotherapy or chemotherapy, significantly reducing their survival chances, with incomplete treatment leading to a two-year survival probability dropping to approximately 45 percent, according to a 2023 study published in BMC Cancer from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
As part of accelerating the speed towards achieving the 2030 target, the Ministry of Health has launched the National Cervical Cancer Elimination Action Plan 2026-2030, marking a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder commitment to end cervical cancer as a public health problem.
"The newly launched, costed and results-oriented action plan is designed to drive progress towards the global 90–70–90 targets. The plan prioritises HPV vaccination, early and equitable screening, prompt treatment and long-term follow-up, in line with the WHO’s strategy to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat," said Aden Duale, CS for health on January 15, during the marking of the National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
"As we mark the end of National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, our efforts must continue beyond today. Vaccinating our girls, early screening, and timely treatment save lives. Let's ensure every girl and woman has access to these essential services," added Mary Muthoni, Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards.
Despite the promising policy shift, significant challenges remain that could hinder Kenya's progress toward the 90 percent target.
Misinformation about vaccine safety continues to spread, with false claims about infertility and other supposed side effects deterring some parents from allowing their daughters to be vaccinated.
"Vaccine hesitancy remains a major issue. We want to work closely with the media from the beginning, not just during launches, so that accurate information reaches the public," said Dr Amoth.
"We have made remarkable progress nationally, but the disparities between regions are still too wide. Every missed girl is a missed opportunity to prevent cancer."
