Onsite HPV Vaccination Event A Day of Action for Youth in El Salvador

The Zoila Fogelbach Foundation and GHVI, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of El Salvador, supported an important vaccination campaign against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) at the El Spiritu Santo Educational Complex.

This event is part of the joint effort to provide children, girls, and adolescents free and safe access to the vaccine, as a key tool to prevent diseases like cervical cancer.

With the support of health staff, dozens of students were able to attend, strengthening not only their physical protection, but also the message of prevention and awareness that drives this initiative.

We continue moving forward with commitment, building more informed, protected and healthy school environments. Watch Full Video on IG

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From World Bank Blogs: "El Salvador, where cervical cancer is the leading cause of death among women 30 to 59 years of age, was an early adopter of HPV vaccination. The World Bank supported the initial discussion and pilot programs. The initial plan was to introduce HPV vaccination through schools. However, due to COVID-related school closures, HPV vaccination instead began in 9-year-old girls at primary care establishments and at home through community health workers.

Key for success was the government’s full commitment, the help of health promoters—paid community-based health workers—to identify girls eligible for home-based vaccination, and an information, education and communication strategy that involved education of health care workers in primary health care facilities and the population. By the end of the project, more than 45,000 girls were vaccinated."

While some progress has been made, much more work is ahead of us to eliminate cervical cancer. We need to build on today’s momentum and work with all partners to accelerate progress.

Collaborations across multiple organizations and community partners are imperative now if we truly want to create an HPV cancer-free generation. In 2024 Global HPV Vaccination Initiative (GHV) leadership, Allison and Riley, visited El Salvador with Dr. Fogelbach and The Zoila Fogelbach Foundation. They met with government and school officials to learn more and discuss the HPV educational program they had created to help further spread awareness and HPV Vaccination Education. Not only did they receive a verbal commitment that this program would reach over 10,000 students in 2025, but officials were open and committed to increasing vaccination HPV rates. Today, live vaccination events are being embraced and multiple organizations are collaborating with The Ziola Fogelbach Foundation to vaccinate to protect youth from HPV Cancers.

A 10 yr old boy is receiving HPV vaccination in El Salvador at a collaborative community event with Dr. Fogelbach