In Kenya, Catholic bishops and members of the Kenya Catholic Doctors Association and the Kenya Christian Professionals Forum have expressed distrust in the HPV vaccine. Some have falsely claimed that it doesn’t protect against cervical cancer, and could lead to brain damage and paralysis.
Victor Rasugu of the Network for Adolescent and Youth in Africa (NAYA) in Kenya, which advocates for the sexual and reproductive health of young people, explains that the government’s HPV campaign “was very controversial. The main opposition was from the religious sector.”
