Cervical cancer is a major public health concern in China, accounting for almost one-fifth of the global incidence and mortality. The recently prequalified domestic bivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine offers a practical and feasible preventive measure. In response to the global call for action, the National Health Commission issued an Action Plan to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030, with promotion of the HPV vaccination for school-aged girls as a critical step. Despite this, implementation of the vaccination has been patchy, with very low coverage among eligible girls. To address this, from December 2021 to December 2022, a demonstration project was launched in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, to promote the inclusion of HPV vaccine in local immunisation programme and to address existing barriers to implementation. Using multiple sources of data, this article presents a case study of the demonstration project, analysing its impact on rolling out HPV vaccination among eligible girls and identifying any challenges encountered during implementation. The demonstration project has shown promising results in increasing the HPV vaccination rate, promoting public awareness and acceptance of the domestic HPV vaccine, and establishing a model for quickly scaling up the vaccination at the municipal level. The success of the project can be attributed to several factors, including strong governmental commitment, sufficient funding, multi-sectoral collaboration, ensured vaccine accessibility and affordability, improved vaccination services, and effective health education and communication strategies. Lessons learned from Shenzhen can provide valuable insights for future advocacy and implementation of the vaccination in other areas of China, but challenges must be addressed to achieve universal coverage. These include addressing vaccine hesitancy, expanding the programme to cover a broader age range, and ensuring consistent quality of vaccination services in primary care facilities. Overcoming these challenges will require innovative strategies, public-private partnerships, and sustained funding and resources. Future research should focus on evaluating the long-term effectiveness of the vaccination programme and identifying contextual factors that may impact its implementation in different settings. Overall, the effective control of cervical cancer in China will rely on the “political will” to ensure the incorporation of preventive interventions into policies and universal programme coverage.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to evaluate the differences on awareness and attitude towards human papillomavirus (HPV) and its vaccine between local and migrant residents who participated in cervical cancer screening in Shenzhen, China. A total of 9,855 females sampled from healthcare institutions in 20 street blocks through the Cervical Cancer Prevention Network were surveyed in this study by a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to explore the role of the hukou and resident status in the willingness to receive HPV vaccination. Local residents had a relatively higher awareness of HPV (62.0% vs. 35.6% vs. 29.9%, p < 0.001) and its vaccine (35.3% vs. 15.4% vs. 14.8%, p < 0.001), as well as a higher willingness to receive HPV vaccination (68.5% vs. 62.5% vs. 56.2%, p < 0.001) than non-permanent residents and floating population. Except for age, education level, marital status, monthly income, having daughter(s), and heard of HPV and its vaccine, the hukou and resident status significantly associated with the willingness to receive HPV vaccination (local residents vs. floating population: odds ratio, 1.216; 95% confidence interval, 1.057 to 1.398). None significant difference on the associated factors was found between local residents and internal migrants (p for interactions > 0.05). Inequalities in awareness and attitude towards HPV and its vaccine existed between local and migrant residents in Shenzhen. The hukou and resident status did impact on the willingness to receive HPV vaccination, therefore, it is critical to implement effective health education campaigns on HPV and its vaccine among internal migrants.