Guyana 1st in Caribbean to offer Gardasil 9 vaccines in fight against HPV, cervical cancer

The Government of Guyana, through the Health Ministry, has begun adMinistering Gardasil 9 vaccines to children between the ages of nine and 15 as part of its expanded immunisation programme, aimed at reducing the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and cervical cancer nationwide.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony announced that the vaccine rollout began about two months ago, marking a significant advancement in the country’s ongoing fight against cervical and other HPV-related cancers.
HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection responsible for the majority of cervical cancer cases worldwide. In addition to cervical cancer, the virus has also been linked to penile and anal cancers, which is why the vaccination campaign will include both boys and girls.
According to Dr Anthony, Gardasil 9 offers protection against nine strains of HPV, compared to the previous tetravalent vaccine that targeted only four.
“We are starting to give this vaccine to children between ages nine and 15. And up until recently, we were using what we call a tetravalent vaccine. That’s a vaccine that is aimed at four strains of this virus, and four of the strains that cause the most cases of cervical cancer… And we are targeting both boys and girls. Now you might ask, why is it that we are giving it to boys? Well, we are giving it to boys because HPV can also cause penile cancer. HPV can cause anorectal cancer. So that is why we want to make sure that both sexes are protected using the HPV vaccine.”
He further noted that Guyana is now among a select few countries globally – and the only one in the Caribbean – to introduce the 9-valent Gardasil vaccine into its national immunisation schedule. Outside of the region, the vaccine is primarily available in the United States (US), Canada, and Panama.
He emphasised the high cost of the vaccine, highlighting that Guyana’s decision to offer it free of charge represents a major investment in public health and cancer prevention.
“But Gardasil 9 is a very expensive vaccine. In the US, Gardasil 9 would cost US$360 for one dose. Right? So, if you do the math, you can convert that into Guyanese dollars. You would see how much money that is really costing. About two months ago, the Government of Guyana was able to bring in Gardasil vaccines so that we can immunise our children using Gardasil 9. And that is now available free of cost.”
“But there is no Caribbean country that is currently able to offer Gardasil 9 to their population. We have offered that to our population. So, we have the best vaccine on the market available to our children, ages nine to 15. So, we want you to talk to parents and children, telling them the importance of getting these kids vaccinated,” the Minister added.
While encouraging parents to ensure their children are vaccinated, Dr Anthony also stressed the importance of early screening and diagnosis for various forms of cancer. He pointed to ongoing efforts to promote the use of HPV screening vouchers for women, which allow recipients to undergo free testing at any accredited laboratory across the country.
Each voucher is valued at approximately $8000 but is distributed free of cost to women across Guyana. So far, about 19 per cent of those tested through the voucher programme have returned positive results for HPV, enabling the Ministry to provide early medical intervention.
Dr Anthony urged community leaders and health advocates to help spread awareness and encourage the use of both the HPV vaccine and screening vouchers.
“The Government last year started another programme where we are giving women an HPV voucher,” he said. “You can use that voucher to do an HPV screening, and with that screening, we are able to know if someone is positive and what strain of the virus they have. The doctors and nurses can then offer the right types of treatment.”
“While we have these mammography machines and screening programmes, we need to work with people in the community to raise awareness so that more people can come and get tested,” he said. “All of this is free – the equipment is there, the people are there to provide the service – but if people don’t show up, then we are not going to change outcomes.”