In Bangladesh, efforts to tackle cervical cancer have been shaped by a growing commitment to evidence-based health planning. As part of broader improvements to the country’s health information systems, officials began analyzing death registration records and cancer-related hospital admissions in greater depth. This work contributed critical insights, highlighting the growing impact of noncommunicable diseases, especially cancer. It also revealed cervical cancer was the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women and the fourth most common reason for cancer-related hospitalizations in public hospitals.

For years, officials in Bangladesh knew that cervical cancer was taking a toll on women’s health, but they didn’t know the full extent of the problem. Only after improving death registration data and analyzing cancer-related hospital admissions did they recognize the growing impact of noncommunicable diseases, especially cancer. In fact, stronger data revealed that cervical cancer was the second leading cause of cancer death among women and the fourth most common reason for cancer-related hospitalization in public hospitals.

These insights helped highlight  a major, yet largely preventable disease and a burden on the health system that would have remained hidden without improved data. Strengthen by these insights government officials advanced vaccination against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) — the cause of cervical cancer — a national priority.

HPV is a very common but potentially dangerous virus, and about 85% of sexually active people will get HPV if unvaccinated. The World Health Organization recommends HPV vaccinations for girls 9 to 14 years old, with one or two doses providing strong, long-lasting protection against HPV and cervical cancer.

In October 2023, the Bangladesh Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched a landmark HPV vaccination campaign in Dhaka Division, home to 44 million people.

For the first time, adolescent girls and their families could self-register for vaccines using VAXEPI, a new national digital vaccine registration and tracking system based on civil registration and the provision of a digital identity. This innovation enabled families to obtain their own vaccination cards, making the process easier and more streamlined.

To ensure the highest level of accuracy, government officials integrated the VAXEPI system with the Office of the Registrar General (ORG) database for birth registration number verification. This integration not only verifies birth registration numbers but also quickly and accurately identified the exact age and additional relevant details such as the child’s name and parents’ names. Registration has become faster, more accurate and user-friendly for families and administrators.

In the past, identifying all eligible girls in the Dhaka Division would have required combing through countless handwritten school records and paperwork, taking considerable time and resources and risking human errors.

The benefits were immediate. The digital integration ensured that only the eligible age group could register through the digital system, reducing errors, preventing vaccine waste and minimizing unnecessary costs. Additionally, it made the registration process seamless and eliminated data input discrepancies.

The HPV campaign registered 1.4 million eligible girls and successfully vaccinated 1.2 million, a nearly 90% coverage rate. Most vaccinations occurred in schools. Equally important, VAXEPI and the ORG database also revealed which areas had gaps, increasing inclusion and helping identify and target outreach to reach every eligible child.

The impact of this campaign goes beyond pure numbers: Not only are more than one million girls now protected from HPV and cervical cancer, but their families are also spared from the burden of cervical cancer. This translates more broadly into significant cost savings for the health system.

By December 2024 the vaccine campaign had successfully reached 5.6 million adolescent girls. In partnership with the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, government officials have analyzed death data alongside hospital admissions to better understand the burden of cancer. Successful strengthening of birth and death data systems in Bangladesh helped make national vaccine delivery possible demonstrating how complete, reliable CRVS systems protect health today and future generations.