Nearly 37 000 Western Cape girls get HPV vaccine: Here’s when the next round will take place

Nearly 37 000 Grade 5 girls in the Western Cape have already received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine this year, with health authorities urging parents and caregivers of thousands more eligible children to sign consent forms as the next round of school vaccinations begins in August. The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness said 36 841 pupils in public and special schools received the HPV vaccine during the first six months of 2026. The department is now encouraging the parents and caregivers of more than 14 000 girls who have not yet been vaccinated to take up the free opportunity to help protect them against cervical cancer later in life.

The next school-based vaccination programme will run from 3 August to 23 September 2026. The department said the HPV vaccine has been proven worldwide to significantly reduce the likelihood of women developing cervical cancer later in life. “Parents and caregivers do so much every day to protect their children, and this is one more powerful way to protect your daughter’s future.

“With one signed consent form, you can give her access to a free vaccine that can help prevent a cancer that could threaten her life many years from now,” said Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness Mireille Wenger According to the department, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in South African women and is often caused by HPV infection. “The HPV vaccine is given in early adolescence, when children have a strong immune response, making it highly effective at stopping HPV infections before they can cause harm.” In addition to the HPV vaccine, all Grade 5 boys and girls attending public and private schools will be offered a Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (TDAP) booster during the campaign.