Health system factors influencing uptake of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine among adolescent girls 9-15 years in Mbale District, Uganda

Abstract

Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women with more than 85% of the burden in developing countries [1]. The majority of cervical cancer mortality occurs in developing countries, where screening and optimal treatment are not adequately available [2]. Cancer of the cervix constituted 22.2% of all cancers among women in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2012 [3]. In Uganda, cervical cancer is the number one cancer killer disease among women, this is followed by breast cancer [4]. With the incidence standing at 52 /100,000 women of reproductive age, it is one of the highest globally. Regrettably, more than half of these women die every year [5, 6]. The Kampala cancer registry shows that Uganda has an age standardized incidence rate of 47.5 per 100,000 against the global estimate of 15.8 per 100,000 [7]. Many of the Cervical cancer cases present with an advanced stage of the disease [8].