Djibouti, 4 October 2025 – The Government of Djibouti has announced plans to introduce a national vaccination program against cervical cancer in a move save more lives from the debilitating disease.
The announcement was made at an event held in the capital on Friday which brought together more than 80 representatives from government and private health institutions as well as officials from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Health Minister Ahmed Rooble said the vaccine is a crucial step to reducing the burden of the disease, which predominantly affects women.
“In the coming period we will roll out the vaccine, which is intended to prevent the suffering caused by cervical cancer among women,” Rooble said.
Hermez Joumana, WHO Representative in Djibouti, welcomed the ministry’s efforts and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to full cooperation in strengthening health services.
The latest WHO data shows that in 2023 Djibouti recorded 71 new cases of cervical cancer and 54 deaths, with an incidence rate of 16.5 cases per 100,000 women per year.
Projections indicate that without urgent action, more than 3,200 women could die from the disease between 2020 and 2070.
The Djiboutian government has emphasized that the new vaccination campaign and community awareness programs are central to its efforts to protect women’s health and strengthen public health nationwide.