At the back of the school, girls take photos of each other in pairs, posing in their pink T-shirts. ‘I am protecting my health for a brighter future, the HPV vaccine protects me from womb cancer.’ is written in purple on the front. Others show their certificates, paper cards featuring a girl looking at the needle stuck in her upper arm, with the words: ‘HPV vaccine is safe and free.’
On this mid-November morning, they all got vaccinated at the Harris Memorial Rural Public School building, an hour's drive from Buchanan. However, it was not easy to convince the parents, Anecee, the nurse, explains. ‘The vast majority of parents we meet in rural areas have a completely false idea about vaccination, especially for girls. They think that vaccines are dangerous for them and can even kill them. There is some genuinely false information. We spend more time trying to convince them than vaccinating their daughters!’
This genuinely false information does not prevent Anecee from travelling to numerous villages in Grand Bassa so many days a month, which sometimes involves hours of motorbike travel. She began this work in September on a voluntary basis. Hired by the Buchanan Central Hospital, which is part of the Ministry of Health, she received training from the UNICEF team on site. ‘I hope to be paid soon because my husband is currently unemployed and we have five children. We are surviving by the grace of God.’
With the help of Priscilla, the UN volunteer, and ... the UNICEF representative on site, Anecee vaccinated around twenty girls this morning. A member of the hospital staff disposes of the used needles and records the children's names. Marie, Laurina, Julie, Brittany... They are between 10 and 17 years old.
Human papillomavirus (HPV), an extremely common virus, is responsible for cervical cancer. However, the overwhelming majority of cases of this cancer are preventable with a single dose of the vaccine. While only 13% of girls were immunised in Liberia in 2019, 71% were immunised in 2024. To close the accumulated immunity gap, Liberia launched a massive vaccination campaign targeting girls aged 9 to 18 last November.
This vaccination is also part of the Back to My Classroom campaign. While enrolling children who are out of school is a priority, ensuring that all pupils are in good health is just as essential.
