In a powerful intersection of faith and public health, the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa, in partnership with the Africa Health Economic Transformation Initiative (AHETI), county governments and health organizations, today launched a comprehensive three-month HPV awareness campaign across the Coastal region, marked by a mass medical camp at Mbungoni Health Centre.
The initiative, dubbed “Faith in Action: Protecting Life Through Health,” aims to tackle the high prevalence of cervical cancer by promoting HPV vaccination for girls aged 10-14 and encouraging cancer screenings for men and women. The campaign will leverage the Archdiocese’s extensive network of parishes, schools, and health facilities in Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, and Taita-Taveta counties.
The launch was highlighted by a one-day medical camp at Mbungoni Health Centre, which provided a wide array of free services, including HPV vaccinations, cervical and breast cancer screenings, optical services, HIV/TB testing, and registration for the Social Health Authority (SHA) to expand healthcare access.
In his remarks at the launch, Most Rev. Martin Kivuva, Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa, framed the campaign as a moral and sacred duty. “The Catholic Church teaches that every human life is sacred, created in the image of God, and deserving of protection. By safeguarding our daughters through timely HPV vaccination, we fulfill Christ’s call to care for ‘the least of these’ and uphold the Church’s mission of healing. This is our faith in action,” he stated.
The choice of Mbungoni was strategic, addressing critical community needs in an informal settlement afflicted by poverty, joblessness, and illiterate rural populations. It reflects many other parts covered by the Archdiocese. Victor Odiek, Facility Incharge at Mbungoni Health Centre, highlighted the urgent local demand.
“The nature of the population here creates a high demand for healthcare. Just in August, this health centre had six confirmed stage 3 cases of cervical cancer. Many in the informal settlements we serve are not able to afford routine check-ups. This camp is a vital intervention,” Odiek explained.
Sister Regina Musyimi, the Health Coordinator for the Archdiocese, detailed the roadmap.
“As a church and healthcare institution, our mission is to educate and create access to healthcare services to all. This campaign is our way of giving back to the community, bringing hope and light to the people. Over the next three months, we will conduct interfaith trainings, school administrators’ outreach, and youth talks through our parishes and the media. Our 65 parishes, 24 health facilities, and over 100 Catholic schools are the backbone of this outreach,” she said.
Echoing the commitment to public health, Imani Baraka, Immunization Programs Manager for Mombasa County, emphasized the importance of community mobilization.
“Partnerships like this are essential to reach every member of the community. Through our collaboration with the Catholic Church, we have managed to vaccinate 10,000 girls in over 100 schools just in one month (September 2025) and so we appeal to parents and guardians to consent for their girls to be vaccinated and to encourage everyone to utilize health facilities for early detection, which saves lives,” he said.
The three-month campaign will utilize faith-based strategies, including integrating health messages into homilies, mobilizing Catholic Women’s Associations, and engaging youth as peer educators.
