KEPRECON Engages Northeastern Religious Leaders to Boost HPV Vaccine Uptake in Mandera,

KEPRECON Engages Northeastern Religious Leaders to Boost HPV Vaccine Uptake Mandera, 
Monday July 21, 2025 at Sarova panafric hotel 
By Stella Ranji 

 In a bold effort to close persistent health gaps in Kenya’s marginalised Northeastern counties, the Kenya Paediatric Research Consortium (KEPRECON), through its Championing Evidence-Based Advocacy (CEBA) initiative, convened a high-level knowledge-sharing session with over 50 religious leaders and county officials.
The event, held in Mandera, brought together influencers from Mandera, Wajir, Isiolo, and Garissa, including the Deputy Governor of Mandera and the First Ladies of Wajir and Isiolo. 
Their mission: demystify the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, tackle cultural and religious hesitancy, and mobilise grassroots advocacy to protect women and girls from cervical cancer.
“Faith leaders are trusted voices,” remarked Prof. Fredrick Were, KEPRECON’s CEO. “Equipping them with the right knowledge turns them into agents of positive change in public health.” The gathering equipped participants with advocacy tools, up-to-date scientific evidence, and messaging strategies to proactively influence policy and community behaviours.
Recent data indicates that HPV vaccine coverage in Kenya is well below target—with uptake still low in remote regions like the Northeast. KEPRECON has pinpointed misinformation, limited awareness, cultural myths, and inconsistent access to immunization as major bottlenecks Vaccines Work series underscores this trend. It highlights the surge in faith leaders—priests, imams, pastors—stepping forward to endorse HPV vaccination following devastating cervical cancer cases witnessed in their communities Gavi.
The Mandera forum had four key objectives:
1. Raise awareness of HPV and the vaccine’s role in cancer prevention.
2. Resolve cultural/religious concerns inhibiting acceptance.
3. Strengthen faith-based advocacy for HPV uptake.
4. Equip leaders with advocacy skills to promote Primary Health Care (PHC) and Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) services.
Religious leaders responded with commitment. They pledged to embed accurate vaccine messaging into sermons, community workshops, and county events—vowing sustained collaborations among civil society, health ministries, and county governments.
“Science has found a way; faith can close the gap,” stated one imam, echoing sentiments from interfaith champions across Kenya Gavi. Their voices are vital in dispelling enduring myths—such as claims that the vaccine causes infertility—and overcoming logistical barriers to access ecancer.

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