Girls' soccer tournament boosts HPV vaccine awareness in Zimbabwe.

A regional Under-17 girls' soccer tournament in Norton, Zimbabwe used the Goal Getters campaign to promote HPV vaccination, drawing about 200 players from six countries and offering free doses at nearby clinics.

A regional Under-17 girls' tournament in Norton, on the outskirts of Harare, combined matches with outreach to promote HPV vaccination. The event was part of the Goal Getters campaign and involved football bodies, GAVI and health ministries from several African countries. About 200 girls from six countries took part in the December competition. Organizers mixed sports, dance and health education to reach girls and their families. Key details: - The final saw Lesotho's Lishoeshoe lose 5-0 to South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns, but players highlighted health messaging as the main outcome. - The Goal Getters campaign has been showcased in Tanzania and Eswatini and aims to build trust in the HPV vaccine by linking sport and health outreach. - Clinics on the tournament sidelines offered free HPV doses to girls; some mothers attended to have children vaccinated. - GAVI says the HPV vaccine can prevent up to 90% of cervical cancer cases when administered to girls aged about 9 to 14. WHO data cited in the report show one-dose coverage in Africa rose to about 40% in 2023 from 28% the year before. - Zimbabwe introduced a single-dose HPV schedule ahead of the tournament; cervical cancer is the country’s most common cancer in women and the national registry reports about 2,000 deaths a year. Summary: The tournament supported wider efforts to raise awareness about HPV vaccination by creating a space where girls and families could hear health information alongside sport. Undetermined at this time.