In the WHO African region, cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer deaths. Experts say breaking myths among adolescent girls could change everything.
00:00Cervical cancer poses a major global health challenge.
00:04In Sub-Saharan Africa, it ranks among the top causes of cancer-related dates in women.
00:10HPV vaccines are highly effective in preventing the virus responsible for most cervical cancers.
00:18However, myths and misconceptions about the disease and its vaccines pose a serious challenge.
00:25In Zimbabwe, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and its partners are tending to an unlikely ally, football, to fight these myths among teenage girls.
00:36What we're hoping to achieve is the most important thing is that the girls can leave the health workshops and this beautiful day,
00:44knowing that they have the right information about how they can take charge of their own health, especially when it comes to beating cervical cancer.
00:52We want the girls to also talk about some of the myths they've heard about vaccines generally, but about the HPV vaccine.
00:59So we want them to leave today feeling empowered about their health.
01:03Football icons like former England and Chelsea player Eniola Aluko and South Africans Amanda Kiamini
01:09are mentoring the girls, helping them build confidence, a crucial step in overcoming myths about their bodies and health.
01:17I find it's so important to unite football and education to save lives.
01:24I know that cervical cancer is the biggest killer of women in Africa, so it's super important, it's life-changing to be here,
01:34to see the process of vaccinations, to spread information and confidence about the vaccinations
01:39for young women and girls to be healthy and to thrive as they play football.
01:45In 2022, Gavi set a target to reach 86 million girls with the HPV vaccine by the end of 2025.
01:55It achieved that milestone ahead of schedule.
01:58The focus now is on expanding coverage in low- and middle-income countries to close the gap.
02:04I think this is the way to reach most of our girls, and of course a lot of work is being done in the schools.
02:10These are the girls we want to take over, and if they are not empowered, and being empowered is through education and your health,
02:18and also to make sure you are involved in sports, and just to make sure they understand what needs to be done to remain healthy.
02:27The program is already making a difference.
02:30From what I've learned today, my home take is definitely the spread of HPV, the awareness, to my fellow friends back at school and my family back at home,
02:41because I didn't know about HPV till I arrived here and they educated us on it,
02:47and I would also love to educate my family members and friends at school since we also got a booklet on it.
02:52Experts hope that combining football, vaccines and education will be the ultimate game changer.
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