Tag Archives: sexually transmitted infections

AMA, Health

Newly released 2025 scorecard unveils progress and setbacks on health and gender equality across Southern Africa

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Geneva, Switzerland, 26 February 2026- /African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has launched its biennial scorecard, a critical tool that tracks progress on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across its 16 Member States. New data, including from demographic health surveys, shows great strides in improving the sexual and reproductive health of people across the region, while in other areas, concerted efforts are urgently needed.

The SADC scorecard offers a regional snapshot of progress towards the implementation of the SADC SRHR Strategy and SRHR targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on health and gender equality. First developed in 2019, the scorecard serves as a social accountability tool and uses a “traffic light” system to track 20 indicators.

The scorecard highlights improvements in reducing adolescent birth rates and the vertical transmission of HIV, while sounding the alarm on a rise in sexually transmitted infections and the need for investments to further reduce maternal mortality:

Lowered Adolescent Birth Rates: Twelve Member States recorded a decline in adolescent births, which can be attributed to the high roll-out of life-skills HIV and comprehensive sexuality education in primary schools.

Decline in HIV infection rates: The region has seen a decline in new HIV infections, however, the latest scorecard suggests that the rate of reduction in new HIV infections amongst adolescent girls and young women aged 15 – 24 years is slowing in seven countries. This could be partially linked to a rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in half of the countries and a decline in condom use in a majority of countries.

Reduction in Maternal Mortality: Six countries recorded significant reductions in maternal mortality, based on their latest national health data. This can be attributed to the priority given by the region to reduce maternal mortality, which needs to be sustained in order to preserve the gains made.

Strong progress in the decrease in the vertical transmission of HIV: Twelve Member States are on track to meet the SDG target by 2030, five of whom already achieved the milestone in 2025. Despite this success, children and adolescent girls and young women are lagging behind in receiving HIV services.

In addition to the abovementioned gains, the scorecard also identified areas where concerted efforts are needed:

Family Planning: Eight Member States are not meeting the contraceptive needs of women. Investing in the contraceptive needs of women and adolescent girls can further reduce teen pregnancies and preventable maternal deaths, and ensure their contribution to their country’s economic growth and development.

Gender-Based Violence: Sexual and intimate partner violence remains persistently high across all Member States in the SADC region. Though all countries have made progress in putting in place relevant laws and policies, greater investments are required to ensure their implementation, including the integration of SRHR, HIV and GBV services, so that all survivors are able to ensure their health and well-being.

Domestic financing: No SADC country has met the ‘Abuja Declaration’ target of allocating 15% of their national budgets to health. Four countries have allocated more than 10% of their national budget to health. Countries need to accelerate domestic funding given declining donor investments if progress is to be made in achieving Universal Health Coverage, and to reduce out of pocket expenditures for citizens.

“The true power of this 3rd Milestone Scorecard lies not merely in what it measures, but in the action it demands from us. With only five years to 2030, we must move with urgency, we need to accelerate implementation, scaling what works, and we need to support our commitments with bold, measurable, and accountable actions,” said Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health, Republic of South Africa.

“Investing in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is no longer just a public health issue; it is a fundamental economic imperative. Research has shown us that every dollar invested in family planning, particularly among the youthful population, can yield up to $100 in long-term economic benefits, yet our chronic underfunding and reliance on external aid actively sacrifices our demographic dividend. Political leadership must translate into urgent, domestic financial mobilization that meets the 15% Abuja target. Our greatest challenge is the paralysis between policy commitment and real-world execution. The SADC scorecard and mid-term review of the SADC SRHR strategy reinforces that Member States need to reform restrictive national laws, enforce gender-based violence and child marriage legislation, and fully integrate SRHR into climate adaptation plans to build truly resilient, rights-based health systems,” reaffirms H.E. Mr. Elias Mpedi Magosi, Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Since 2018, the joint United Nations Regional Programme, 2gether 4 SRHR, composed of UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO, has supported SADC to develop, implement and monitor the SADC SRHR strategy and its scorecard, with funding from the Government of Sweden.

“The leadership of the SADC Ministers of Health and the Secretariat, guided by the SADC SRHR Strategy, is demonstrating tangible results: reduced adolescent birth rates, fewer maternal deaths, and decreased rates of HIV. These must be celebrated and safeguarded. However, the 2025 scorecard is a stark reminder that these gains are fragile. Without continued commitment and increased domestic investments, these gains risk being undone. As a long standing partner to SADC, the 2gether 4 SRHR programme remains committed to using the scorecard findings and working with Governments in areas where the region and countries are lagging behind.

Collectively, we must do better to ensure that all people can exercise their sexual and reproductive health and rights and that young people can achieve their full potential, so that everyone can contribute to the economic and social development of the region,” highlights Lydia Zigomo, UNFPA Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, on behalf of the Regional Directors of the 2gether 4 SRHR programme.

“Despite our successes, we now risk a two-speed region where gaps in family planning, HIV prevention, and gender equality strand 94 million adolescents without the wellbeing they need to drive the economic and social development of SADC. To avoid this, all Member States must invest urgently and in sustained ways in adolescent SRHR as a foundation for all SRHR,” concludes Jonathan Gunthorp, Executive Director, SRHR Africa Trust.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of World Health Organisation.

Notes to editors:

The SADC scorecard is published every two years and tracks 20 indicators across SADC Member States, including information on rates of maternal and neonatal mortality, adolescent birth rates, family planning, HIV infections and treatment, STIs, including HPV, number of health facilities offering SRHR services and schools offering sexuality education, as well as number of health workers and budget allocated to health. The scorecard also tracks key legal issues which impact on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Milestones were set for 2025 and the scorecard’s traffic light system indicates green for progress and red for regression, against a baseline set in 2019.

Explore the scorecard

The SADC SRHR Strategy (2019 – 2030) serves as a policy and programmatic framework for Member States to ensure that all people in SADC enjoy a healthy sexual and reproductive life, have sustainable access, coverage, and quality SRHR services, information, and education; and can fully realize and exercise their SRHR. The 16 Member States in SADC include: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

About 2gether 4 SRHR:

2gether 4 SRHR is a joint United Nations Regional Programme, in partnership with Sweden, which brings together the combined efforts of UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO to improve the sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) of all people in Eastern and Southern Africa. For more information and for a one-stop-shop of information and resources in Africa, visit the SRHR Knowledge Hub.

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AMA, Education, Health

Why Africa Cannot Eliminate Cervical Cancer Without Expanding HPV Vaccination Beyond Adolescent Girls 

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By Zwelethu Bashman, Managing Director, MSD South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, Marloes Kibacha, Managing Director, Africa Health Business, Cheyenne Braganza, Senior Project Associate, Africa Health Business 

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 22 January 2026 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/ –

Introduction
Cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women globally, despite being almost entirely preventable. In Africa, it continues to claim lives not because science has failed, but because policy ambition has fallen short. Over 200 strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) exist, with 12 high-risk types responsible for most HPV-related cancers. [1] Although HPV vaccines can prevent almost 90% of cervical cancer, most women remain unvaccinated, leaving cervical cancer among the top killers of women worldwide, with more than 94% of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. [2] At current rates of vaccination and coverage, hundreds of thousands of African women will die from a cancer that could have been prevented with vaccines already available.

Cervical cancer hits the hardest where vulnerability is greatest. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies sub-Saharan Africa as the region with the highest prevalence of cervical HPV, affecting nearly one in four women. [3] Women living with HIV face an even steeper risk, as weakened immune systems make them more susceptible to persistent HPV infection and four to five times more likely to develop invasive cervical cancer. [4] Without urgent action, these inequities will continue to drive preventable deaths across the continent. Recently, Gavi’s inclusion of higher-valency HPV vaccines is an important development in the global HPV prevention landscape and a relevant consideration for countries across sub-Saharan Africa as they continue to strengthen cervical cancer prevention efforts.

Vaccinating Girls First: Africa’s Critical Foundation
In 2018, the WHO launched a global call to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat, built on three pillars: vaccination, screening, and timely treatment. Central to this strategy is fully vaccinating 90% of girls by age 15. [5] This focus on adolescent girls is a critical foundation, and African countries have made meaningful progress in recent years.

Rwanda offers a powerful example. In 2011, it became the first African country to introduce a national HPV vaccination program targeting adolescent girls through a robust school-based platform. Today, Rwanda has achieved over 90% coverage among eligible girls, one of the highest rates globally. [6] This success reflects strong political leadership, community trust, and effective delivery systems.
But even Rwanda’s success highlights a fundamental limitation. High coverage among adolescent girls alone does not protect older women, boys, or men, nor does it fully interrupt HPV transmission within the broader population. A girls-only strategy, while necessary, is insufficient for elimination.

HPV Is Not a Women-Only Virus
HPV continues to be framed primarily as a women’s health issue because of its link to cervical cancer. This framing is both incomplete and counterproductive. Men are not only carriers of HPV, they are also affected by HPV-related disease. Globally, one in three men is infected with at least one HPV strain, often after age 15. [7] In sub-Saharan Africa, HPV prevalence among men remains high, sustaining community-level transmission. [8]

HPV also causes anal, penile, and oropharyngeal cancers, conditions that disproportionately affect men and are increasing globally. [8, 9] Excluding boys and men from vaccination strategies perpetuates transmission to women and leaves men unprotected from largely preventable cancers.

Why Gender-Neutral Vaccination Matters for Elimination
If Africa is serious about elimination, vaccination strategies must reflect how HPV actually spreads. Expanding vaccination to boys and men is not only a matter of equity, it is an epidemiological necessity. Gender-neutral vaccination accelerates herd immunity, reduces circulation of high-risk HPV types, and offers critical protection for high-risk populations, including people living with HIV. [10]

Yet progress remains uneven. Only 29 of 54 African countries have implemented national HPV vaccination programs, and nearly all focus exclusively on girls aged 9 to 14. [11]This is an important starting point, but it will not break the cycle of transmission. Elimination demands moving beyond a single cohort and a single gender.

The Forgotten Cohort: Women Who Aged Out
While adolescent girls remain the priority, millions of women across Africa missed HPV vaccination entirely. Many aged out before programs were introduced, while others were missed due to COVID 19 disruptions. [12] These women, now in their 20s and 30s, represent the largest group at near term risk and will drive cervical cancer incidence over the next decade if left unprotected. [13]

In addition, women living with HIV (WLHIV) require tailored protection. Sub-Saharan Africa carries the world’s highest prevalence of HIV among women. [14] WLHIV experience higher rates of persistent HPV infection, faster quicker disease progression, increased recurrence, and poorer outcomes. Modelling shows that vaccinating WLHIV aged 10–45 could reduce new cervical cancer cases by 4.7% overall and by 10% among WLHIV. [15]

The evidence is clear. Sexually active women over 15 still benefit from HPV vaccination, as they may not have been exposed to all high-risk HPV types. [16, 17] Catch-up vaccination, particularly when combined with screening, can substantially reduce future cancer incidence. Integrating HPV vaccination into HIV care, university health services, and workplace health programs offers practical, scalable pathways to reach this cohort. [18]

The socioeconomic case is clear. Women contribute an estimated 35–45% of GDP across the region. Preventing cervical cancer protects households, sustains productivity, and reduces catastrophic health expenditure. [19] Yet across the continent, adult women remain largely invisible in HPV prevention policies. This gap is not scientific. It is political.

Leadership, Systems, and Smarter Policy Choices
African governments are central to closing the HPV protection gap. While the number of countries delivering HPV vaccines has tripled since 2019 and coverage has doubled, the regional average remains just 52%, far below the 90% target. [20] Sustainable progress requires integrating HPV vaccines into routine immunization schedules, securing predictable domestic financing, and strengthening supply chains.

Kenya’s recent decision to introduce a single-dose HPV vaccine for girls shows how policy can adapt to improve efficiency and access. However, simplification alone will not address missed cohorts or limited population-level protection. Other countries in the region are also adapting policy to expand reach, with Botswana integrating higher-valency HPV vaccines within national prevention planning aligned with HIV care, and Eswatini expanding HPV vaccination in 2024 to include adolescent girls and young women living with HIV. [21, 22]

Adult vaccination pathways should be integrated into reproductive health services, alongside catch-up vaccination for older adolescents and women. Efforts should target cohorts missed by school-based programmes, including out-of-school girls and WLHIV – using multi-channel delivery platforms such as clinics, HIV programmes, mobile outreach, and innovative community-based models. [23]

As science evolves, policy must keep pace. Transitioning to nonavalent vaccines offers broader protection against high-risk HPV types and greater long-term impact in high-burden settings. [24] Procurement decisions should be driven by epidemiology, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability, not short-term constraints.

The Role of Partnerships and Innovation
Industry, alongside governments and civil society, has a role to play in supporting national cervical cancer elimination goals.

Between 2021 and 2025, MSD supplied over 115 million HPV vaccine doses to low- and middle income countries, supported by a US$2 billion investment in manufacturing capacity. MSD has also reaffirmed its commitment to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to support sustainable HPV vaccine supply and equitable access across Sub-Saharan Africa.

These efforts support broader vaccination strategies, including protection of older cohorts and women living with HIV, and enable country transitions to higher-valency HPV vaccines – an important step toward averting millions of future cancer cases and deaths.

The Choice Africa Must Make
Africa cannot eliminate cervical cancer and all other HPV-related diseases by protecting adolescent girls alone. HPV does not respect age, gender, or delivery platforms, and elimination requires population-level protection. This means vaccinating girls, protecting boys, catching up women who were left behind, and building resilient systems that sustain coverage over time.

The tools exist. The evidence is overwhelming. What remains is the choice. If governments and partners act decisively now by expanding HPV vaccination beyond adolescent girls and investing in durable prevention systems, cervical cancer can become a disease of the past. Elimination is not a question of feasibility. It is a question of ambition, and the time to choose is now.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of MSD

References
[1]”HPV and Cancer,” National Cancer institute, May 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.cancer.gov/about cancer/causes-prevention/risk/infectious-agents/hpv-and cancer#:~:text=HPV%2Drelated research-,What is HPV (human papillomavirus)?,which c an cause breathing problems..

[2] “World Health Organization,” 5 March 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact sheets/detail/human-papilloma-virus-and cancer#:~:text=The highest prevalence of cervical,variable based on sexual trends .. [Accessed 11 November 2025].

[3] T. e. a. Dzinamarira, “Cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: an urgent call for improving accessibility and use of preventive services,” International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, vol. 33, no. 4, 2023.

[4] S. M. T. N. B. R. Liu G, “HIV-positive women have higher risk of human papilloma virus infection, precancerous lesions, and cervical cancer.,” AIDS, October 2018.

[5] K. M. K. S. Wilailak S, “Strategic approaches for global cervical cancer elimination: An update review and call for national action.,” Int J Gynaecol Obstet., 2025. [Online].

[6] IFPMA, “Rwandan HPV National Vaccination Program,” [Online]. Available: https://globalhealthprogress.org/collaboration/rwandan-hpv-national-vaccination-program/.

[7] G. K. M. J. Naidoo D, “Breaking barriers: why including boys and men is key to HPV prevention.,” BMC Med, 2024.

[8] T. B. M. C. C. J. A. K. K. &. K. S. K. Olesen, “Human papillomavirus prevalence among men in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.,” Sexually transmitted infections, 2014.

[9] P. JM., “Human papillomavirus-related disease in men: not just a women’s issue.,” J Adolesc Health, 2010.

[10] G. J. Scheepers VC, “Expanding the case for gender-neutral human papillomavirus vaccination in South Africa: Emerging neonatal and ethical considerations.,” Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med., 2025.

[11] E. I. Eric Asempah, “Accelerating HPV vaccination in Africa for health equity,” PubMed Central- National Library of Medicine, no. PMID: 39294815, 2024.

[12] I. L. C. M. Sad SA, “Revisiting HPV vaccination post-COVID: geopolitical, sociocultural, and ethical disparities in global health,” Int J Equity Health., 2025.

[13] S. P. Castanon A, “Is the recent increase in cervical cancer in women aged 20-24years in England a cause for concern?,” Prev Med., 2018.

[14] “HIV Epidemiology in Sub-Saharan Africa,” UNAIDS., 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries.

[15] W. J. e. al., “Modelling the Impact of HPV Vaccination among Women Living with HIV.,” Lancet Global Health.

[16] X. M. N. P. P. F. D. M. J. A. K. L. J. M. E. M. S. B. O. M. B. J. V. S. H. R. M. &. S. A. Castellsagué, “End-of-study safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of quadrivalent HPV (types 6, 11, 16, 18) recombinant vaccine in adult women 24- 45 years of age.,” British journal of cancer, 2011.

[17] “Human papillomavirus vaccination for adult women,” Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet, 2022.

[18] S. N. e. B. E. A.-D. Kimeshnee Govindsamy, “Effectiveness of integrating cervical cancer prevention strategies into HIV care programmes: A mixed-methods systematic review protocol,” PLOS One, 2024.

[19] “Economic Contribution of Women in Sub-Saharan Africa,” World Bank., 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/gender.

[20] A. Amani, “Scaling HPV vaccination in Africa to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030,” The lancet global health, vol. 13, no. 12, 2025.

[21] “HPV Vaccination Programme Outcomes,” Rwanda Ministry of Health. , 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.moh.gov.rw.

[22] “Immunization/HPV Programme information,” Eswatini Ministry of Health. , 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.gov.sz/index.php/ministries-departments/ministry-of-health.

[23] “Cervical Cancer Data Surveillance in Sub-Saharan Africa,” WHO & IARC, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://gco.iarc.fr/.

[24] V. V. C. H. e. a. Bobadilla ML, “Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection and Risk Behavior in Vaccinated and Non Vaccinated Paraguayan Young Women.,” Pathogens, 2024.

[25] T. G. e. al., “Implementing HPV Vaccination Services in People Living with HIV in Trinidad and Tobago: A Brief Report,” Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers, 2025.

[26] G. M. E. Al., “Human papilloma virus vaccination in the resource-limited settings of sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and recommendations,” Vaccine X, vol. 20, 2024.

[27] “World Health Organization,” [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/initiatives/cervical-cancer-elimination initiative.

[28] b. G. A. a. J. R. c. L. A. M. A. A. R. G. L. E. M. N. B. M. T. Laia Bruni a, “Global and regional estimates of genital human papillomavirus prevalence among men: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” PMC PubMed Central, no. PMID: 37591583, 2023.

[29] Lyvio Lin, Liying (Annie) Liang, “World Bank,” November 2024. [Online]. Available: https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/health/Preventing-cervical-cancer-in-Africa-Why-scaling-HPV-vaccination priority#:~:text=However%2C widespread use of the,of the 54 African countries..

[30] “World Health Organization (WHO) Afro,” 1 March 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.afro.who.int/news/africa-immunization-advisory-group-urges-single-dose-hpv-vaccine-adoption advance vaccination#:~:text=In an effort to accelerate,the global target of 90%25..

[31] e. a. Alison G Abraham, “Invasive cervical cancer risk among HIV-infected women: A North American multi-cohort collaboration prospective study,” PubMed Central- National Library of Medicine, no. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e31828177d7, 2014.

[32] A. I. R. S. C.-U. Erna Milunka Kojic, “Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in HIV-infected Women: Need for Increased Coverage,” PubMed Central- National Library of Medicine, no. doi: 10.1586/14760584.2016.1110025, 2016.

[33] M. Goretti, “Vellum,” 24 October 2025. [Online]. Available: https://vellum.co.ke/kenya-switches-to-single-dose hpv-vaccine-to-boost uptake/#:~:text=Kenya has taken a major,local scientists and international expert s.. [Accessed November 2025].

[34] W. H. Organization, “Global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem,” WHO-Int, 2020.

[35] M. C. C. J. A. K. K. S. Olesen TB, “Human papillomavirus prevalence among men in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” Sex Transm Infect, no. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2013-051456, 2014.

[36] H. S. S. G. S. G. Soumendu Patra, “HPV and Male Cancer: Pathogenesis, Prevention and Impact,” Journal of Medicine in Africa (JOMA), vol. 2, no. 1, 2025.

[37] I. Z. E. Al., “Cervical Cancer Prevention in Rural Areas,” Ann Glob Health, 2023.

[38] L. B. E. Al., “Global and regional estimates of genital human papillomavirus prevalence among men: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” Lancet Global Health, 2023.

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AMA, Health

Gates Foundation Announces Catalytic Funding to Spark New Era of Women-Centered Research and Innovation

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Investments Through 2030 to Catalyze Innovation in Maternal, Menstrual, Gynecological, and Sexual Health for Women Globally

SEATTLE, 5 August 2025 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/-The Gates Foundation today announced a $2.5 billion commitment through 2030 to accelerate research and development (R&D) focused exclusively on women’s health. It will support the advancement of more than 40 innovations in five critical, chronically underfunded areas—particularly those affecting women in low- and middle-income countries.

“For too long, women have suffered from health conditions that are misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or ignored,” said Dr. Anita Zaidi, president of the Gates Foundation’s Gender Equality Division. “We want this investment to spark a new era of women-centered innovation—one where women’s lives, bodies, and voices are prioritized in health R&D.”

Women’s health R&D remains chronically underfunded. Areas such as gynecological and menstrual health, obstetric care, contraceptive innovation, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) solutions (including HIV PrEP for women), and maternal health and nutrition receive limited investment. According to a 2021 analysis, led by McKinsey & Company, just 1% of healthcare research and innovation is invested in female-specific conditions beyond oncology. Critical issues like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, and menopause, which together affect hundreds of million women, remain deeply under-researched.

“Investing in women’s health has a lasting impact across generations. It leads to healthier families, stronger economies, and a more just world,” said Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation. “Yet women’s health continues to be ignored, underfunded, and sidelined. Too many women still die from preventable causes or live in poor health. That must change. But we can’t do it alone.”

To close persistent gaps in funding and research, the foundation is urging governments, philanthropists, investors, and the private sector to co-invest in women’s health innovations, help shape product development, and ensure access to treatments for the women and girls who need them most.

“This is the largest investment we’ve ever made in women’s health research and development, but it still falls far short of what is needed in a neglected and underfunded area of huge human need and opportunity,” said Zaidi. “Women’s health is not just a philanthropic cause—it’s an investable opportunity with immense potential for scientific breakthroughs that could help millions of women. What’s needed is the will to pursue and follow through.”

The foundation’s investment will advance innovation across five high-impact areas of a woman’s lifespan:

Obstetric care and maternal immunization: Making pregnancy and delivery safer

Maternal health and nutrition: Supporting healthier pregnancies and newborns

Gynecological and menstrual health: Advancing tools and research to better diagnose,

treat, and improve gynecological health and reduce infection risk

Contraceptive innovation: Offering more accessible, acceptable, and effective options

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Improving diagnosis and treatment to reduce disproportionate burdens on women

Areas of breakthrough potential include research into the vaginal microbiome, first-in-class therapeutics for preeclampsia, and non-hormonal contraception. Included in the commitment are investments that will support data generation and advocacy to help ensure product uptake and impact upon approval.

The five priority areas were selected based on a combination of data and evidence about where innovation can save and improve the most lives, direct insights from women in low- and middleincome countries about their needs and preferences, and the persistently high rates of misdiagnosis caused by gaps in medical knowledge and training. They also reflect the unique challenges faced in low-resource settings, making these areas especially ripe for broader public and private investment to drive meaningful, scalable impact.

“We see the consequences of underinvestment in women’s health innovation every day when women suffer needlessly, and sometimes lose their lives, because of the gaps in how we understand and treat conditions that uniquely affect them,” said Dr. Bosede Afolabi, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. “This commitment brings much-needed attention to the health challenges women face in places where resources are most limited and the burden is highest. It reflects a recognition that women’s lives—and the innovations that support them—must be prioritized everywhere.”

By addressing long-standing gaps in women’s health, the investment aims to unlock broader social and economic gains. Research shows that every $1 invested in women’s health yields $3 in economic growth, and closing the gender health gap could boost the global economy by $1 trillion per year by 2040.

This work supports the foundation’s long-term goals through 2045: helping to end preventable deaths of moms and babies; ensuring the next generation grows up without having to suffer from deadly infectious diseases; and lifting millions of people out of poverty, putting them on a path to prosperity. It builds on a 25-year legacy of advancing maternal and child health and supporting women’s empowerment globally. The R&D commitment complements the foundation’s work supporting the scale-up and delivery of women’s health commodities, vaccines such as the HPV vaccine, and child health.

For more info please see the fact sheet

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of the Gates Foundation

About the Gates Foundation

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.

Media Contact:

Press Office

Gates Foundation

media@gatesfoundation.org

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Lifestyle

Trump’s National Security Picks, STI Rates Drop, COP29 Latest

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What do President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for his national security team say about his 2nd term priorities? New data shows a slight decline in sexually transmitted infections. The latest from the UN Climate Change Conference in Azerbaijan.

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