Media Statement - Single-dose HPV Vaccination drive to give girls lifelong protection against cervical cancer 02 August 2026
Official source
Source domain: gauteng.gov.za
Collected on 3 August 2026
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Single-dose HPV vaccination drive for eligible Grade 5 girls (Cervarix)
Eligible Grade 5 girls aged nine years and older can receive a single dose of the HPV vaccine (Cervarix) through the Gauteng school-based vaccination campaign. Parents/caregivers/legal guardians must sign and return consent forms to the schools; no learner will be vaccinated without a signed consent form (except that learners aged 12 years and older may provide their own consent per national health guidelines).
- Who it is for
- Eligible Grade 5 girls aged nine years and older, including learners who may have missed previous vaccination opportunities; parents/caregivers/legal guardians of these learners; learners aged 12 years and older who may consent themselves
- How to act on it
- Sign and return the consent forms provided by the schools to ensure the learner is vaccinated; vaccination teams will vaccinate at participating independent primary schools during the main campaign period and later visit outstanding public primary and special schools.
- Closes
- 9 October 2026
Show the line this came from
The campaign, which forms part of the Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP), will run from 3 August 2026 to 9 October 2026 at participating independent primary schools across Gauteng. Thereafter, vaccination teams will visit outstanding public primary and special schools to reach eligible learners who may have been missed during the earlier campaign, as the majority of public schools were covered during the rollout conducted earlier this year.
Facts
Places
Gauteng
Reference
https://www.gauteng.gov.za/Media%20Advisories%20and%20Statements/Media%20Statement%20-%20Single-dose%20HPV%20Vaccination%20drive%20to%20give%20girls%20lifelong%20protection%20against%20cervical%20cancer%2002%20August%202026.pdf
Key Takeaways
- Issued by: Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH)
- Date: 02 August 2026
- Campaign: Single-dose HPV vaccination drive
- Purpose: lifelong protection against cervical cancer
- Part of: Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP)
- Main campaign dates: 3 August 2026 to 9 October 2026
- Initial sites: participating independent primary schools across Gauteng
- Follow-up visits: outstanding public primary and special schools after 9 October 2026
- Vaccine target: eligible Grade 5 girls aged nine years and older
- Vaccine: Cervarix (single dose)
- Consent requirement: no learner vaccinated without signed consent form
- Exception: learners aged 12 years and older may provide their own consent per national guidelines
- 2025/26 reach (public schools): 1 498 of 1 500 schools reached; 72 249 Grade 5 girls vaccinated
- 2025/26 reach (independent schools): 530 of 664 schools reached; 9 740 Grade 5 girls vaccinated
- Coverage rates (2025/26): 80% public vs 37.7% independent
- Uptake challenges (2025/26): 1 830 learners affected by absenteeism; 24 327 non-returned consent forms; misinformation/vaccine hesitancy
- Media contact: Steve Mabona (spokesperson) 063 297 3418; healthmediaenquiries@gauteng.gov.za
- Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH)
- Gauteng Department of Education
- Steve Mabona
- The Lancet Global Health
- Cervarix
- Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP)
Dates
Closing Date
2 August 2026