The World Health Organisation, WHO, says one hundred thousand women in the African region, developed cervical cancer in 2020, and approximately seventy thousand of them died, making it twenty-one percent of the global cervical cancer mortality.
In a statement to mark January as cervical cancer awareness month, the WHO African Regional Director, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, said cervical cancer disproportionately affects some most vulnerable communities, adding that the three key messages of this year’s campaign are: be informed, get screened, and get vaccinated.
According to the Regional Director, it is critical that young women in particular know about the link between cervical cancer and the human papilloma virus, HPV, as almost ninety-nine percent of cases of cervical cancer is linked to this common virus that is transmitted during sex.
For her, knowing about the link with a common viral infection means that it is now easier to screen women for the disease; which can be prevented by vaccinating young women, thereby preventing HPV infection.
She noted that cervical cancer awareness requires empowering women with knowledge, at school, by clinic staff, and from women who are living with the disease, saying that unfortunately, the high rates of cervical cancer in the region shows there are major gaps in knowledge, awareness of the disease, and access to screening.
Dr Moeti, urged all countries in the region to actively engage in awareness campaigns, promote screening and encourage HPV vaccination among their young women as cervical cancer can be prevented and can be cured.
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