Improvement in HPV vaccination coverage in Armenia through capacity building of health care workers by multidisciplinary specialists: a synopsis

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection worldwide, with high-risk types causing cervical, anal, vulvar, vaginal, penile, and oropharyngeal cancers. In Armenia, cervical cancer is a significant public health issue. In 2024, a woman was diagnosed with cervical cancer every two days and a death occurred every three days. Most cervical cancer cases are preventable through HPV vaccination. However, Armenia has faced challenges with HPV vaccination uptake, partly due to misinformation and vaccine hesitancy among both the public and healthcare workers. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, the WHO Country Office in Armenia, and Armenia’s Ministry of Health launched an initiative to increase HPV vaccination coverage by training healthcare workers using multidisciplinary medical experts. Consequently, vaccination rates rose dramatically, from 11% first- and complete-dose (two doses) coverage in 2021 to 45% first-dose and 27% complete-dose (two doses) coverage in 2023.