Girls in SA get free HPV jabs. Boys don’t. Find out why they should
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
A 40-year-old man walks into his doctor’s room with a lump in his throat. He doesn’t smoke. He barely drinks. He has no family history of cancer. What he does have is a common virus he’s never been tested for, never been warned about and one that he never knew could lead to cancer. This is not an unusual scenario. It is happening in doctors’ rooms across South Africa and the world. The virus is called human papillomavirus, or HPV. It is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide and most individuals will be exposed to it at some point in their lives. HPV infection is mostly talked about as a women’s issue because of its link to 95% of cervical cancer cases. South Africa’s 2026-2030 strategy, which will soon be launched, acknowledges the link and aims to get girls vaccinated from the age of nine against HPV before they turn 15, according to the health department. But men also get HPV — and boys, therefore, need to be vaccinated too. Most men who have HPV don’t feel unwell or develop any symptoms. In many cases, the body clears HPV on its own within one to two years. But when it lingers, it can lead to serious health problems, including cancer. Globally, about one in three men has at least one genital HPV type. And about one in five men carry one or more types of the virus that can cause cancer. The cancers can affect the penis, anus and back of the throat. One of the types of HPV which can cause cancer — HPV-16 — is responsible for most HPV-driven genital and oral cancers in both men and women. A simple HPV vaccination can prevent cancers and diseases caused by certain HPV types entirely, helping to curb such cancers in men which are rising worldwide. But, despite overwhelming evidence, boys and men are largely excluded from HPV immunisation programmes in many countries, including South Africa. How HPV affects men HPV spreads through vaginal, oral and anal sex, as well as skin-to-skin contact during intimacy. Condoms don’t always protect p