Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to support the establishment of HPV vaccination programmes in developing countries.

The UK supports HPV vaccination programmes in developing countries through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. As Gavi’s largest donor, the UK was a vocal advocate for inclusion of the HPV vaccine within its portfolio to help protect the most vulnerable girls from the leading cause of cervical cancer.

Through Gavi support, 30 developing countries have taken their first steps toward HPV roll out with the aim of vaccinating 40 million girls by 2020. Affordability and high demand are also important considerations to enabling HPV vaccination programmes to be introduced. Gavi is helping overcome these by negotiating price reductions of the HPV vaccine to make it more affordable for poorer countries and by working with civil society in local communities to promote the benefits of the vaccine.

The 2017 World Health Assembly Global Call for Action to eliminate cervical cancer has brought widespread attention on the importance of HPV. In anticipation of high global demand, the UK has encouraged Gavi to continue to bring in new vaccine manufacturers to support increased demand and to prioritise availability for the world’s poorest people.