The global strategy for eliminating Cervical cancer by 2030 was approved by all member countries of the World Health Organization. However, the Commonwealth could see one woman die every three minutes if not taken urgent steps to reduce the growing incidence of cervical cancer.
This estimate is supported with data on the increase in cervical cancer cases (to 324,598) as well as deaths (to 186.066 deaths) by 2030.
This was revealed during a June 21 Commonwealth Women’s Forum session held under the theme: Conquering Cervical Cancer in the Commonwealth: Realities, Challenges and opportunities, where leading experts called on governments to accelerate cervical cancer elimination efforts across the Commonwealth.
Despite having only 30 percent of the world’s population, Commonwealth members account for 40 percent of global cervical cancer incidence and 43 percent of cervical cancer mortality.
Cervical cancer is not only curable but preventable. The Human Papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) is one of the key tools that can be used to eradicate cervical cancer.
HPV, a sexually transmitted virus (STI), is responsible for almost all cervical cancer cases. However, there is increasing evidence that it is a contributing factor in other types of anogenital cancers. HPV information Centre.
However, only 13% of girls aged 9-14 years have been vaccinated against HPV worldwide as of 2020.
Rwanda’s 1,156,863 female high school students received their first HPV vaccine between 2011 and 2018. This corresponds to 98 percent.
According to a report by a, the population-level HPV vaccination coverage rose from 6 percent for girls born 1993 to a maximum of 99.9% for those born in 2002. 2020 study published in the journal Vaccine by researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), partners from the Ministry of Health of Rwanda, and Université Claude Bernard (Lyon, France).
The initial catch-up campaign, which targeted school grades and included older girls was successful. It later changed to an age-based approach with routine vaccination of only girls 12 years or older starting in 2015.
Nevertheless, consistency in the vaccination programme together with other measures, will be required to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030, according to WHO’s 70-90 targets related to screening and treatment of cervical pre-cancer.
The goals are to fully vaccinate 90% of girls against HPV by 15-years-old, to screen 70% of women using a high performance test by age 35, and again at age 45, and to ensure that 90 percent of those diagnosed with cervical disease receive the appropriate treatment.
Recommendations given in the Women’s Forum to achieve these targets include to address the inequity of access to cervical cancer elimination tools, including ensuring equitable access to HPV vaccines and cervical cancer screening provisions, and to increase investment in national cervical cancer control plans, in alignment with the WHO Global Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer and the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
More than 500 delegates attended the Commonwealth Women’s Forum in Kigali to discuss solutions to address pressing challenges affecting women and girls across the Commonwealth.
The Forum took place in Africa for its first time.
giribagiza@newtimesrwanda.com
Source: rnewtimes
