Women urged to go for cervical cancer screenings

Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) chief executive Rolf Hansen has called on women to get screened for cervical cancer.

“January is cervical cancer awareness month, the type of cancer currently ranked number two after breast cancer,” he says.

Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers that is largely preventable through human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, screening and treatment.

Hansen says cancers affecting women occur at the highest rate in Namibia. CAN thus encourages women to get screened countrywide, as early detection saves lives.

According to Hansen, getting screened is a simple process which involves visiting a local Ministry of Health and Social Services clinic or nearest healthcare centre, where a robust and accurate cervical cancer programme was initiated a few years ago.

If the cancer is detected early through routine screening, it is highly treatable, he says.

However, cervical cancer remains a global health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and underserved communities.

Cervical cancer is caused by persistent infection with the HPV. Symptoms (such as abnormal vaginal bleeding) often appear only in later stages of the disease, leading to delayed diagnosis and poorer prognosis.

Regional disparities in the burden of cervical cancer are closely linked to inequalities in access to vaccination, screening and treatment services, as well as risk factors such as HIV prevalence. Social and economic determinants, including gender biases, cultural beliefs and stigma, lack of education and awareness, and poverty play a significant role in these disparities.

Cervical cancer mostly affects younger women at the prime of their lives; many are mothers to young children. Over one million children lose their mother to cancer each year and cervical cancer accounts for about 20% of children orphaned by cancer, according to the International Gynecologic Cancer Society.

Women living with HIV are six times more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to women without HIV, while adolescent girls and young women face a higher vulnerability of acquiring HIV than their male counterparts.

Preventative vaccination against HPV, combined with screening and treatment of those who screen positive, is a highly effective and affordable way to prevent cervical cancer.

Several interconnected factors, including disparate access to healthcare and vaccination, lack of awareness and global coordination, and social and cultural barriers stigmatising sexual health and cancer have hindered progress towards elimination.

People are advised to get screened, get vaccinated, and know their HIV and HPV status in order to fight cervical cancer together.