#JSBHEALTH: Cervical cancer can be beaten - the key is vaccinating young girls
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Show Notes
GUEST: LYNETTE DENNY- Professor, Special Projects, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Cape Town
#JSBHEALTH: Cervical cancer can be beaten - the key is vaccinating young girls
In 2020 the World Health Organization introduced a plan to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat by 2030. The first step towards this goal is to have 90% of girls fully vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) by the age of 15 years. Gynaecological oncologist Lynette Denny spells out how much progress still needs to be made, and what hurdles need to be overcome.
How big a threat is cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa?
Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest cervical cancer diagnosesworldwide. Cervical cancer mortality rates in the region are three times higher than the global average. The burden of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa contributes to the disparity. In 2021, in southern Africa, 63.8% of women with cervical cancer were living with HIV, as were 27.4% of women in eastern Africa.
Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted through skin to skin contact, including sexual activity.
How do countries compare in meeting the WHO target?
By June 2020, more than half of the WHO member states – that’s 107 out of 194 – had introduced HPV vaccination nationwide or partially.
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The numbers showed a wide variation in coverage in different geographic regions. High-income countries such as Australia and New Zealand had the highest complete coverage with HPV vaccination at 77%. Low- and middle-income countries lagged far behind – only 41% had introduced HPV vaccination by the end of 2019. Only 20% of the eligible population in sub-Saharan Africa has been vaccinated.
What’s the surest way of achieving the WHO goal?
There are many important steps.
A critical starting point is to gain political support for HPV vaccination. There needs to be high level collaboration between the ministries of health, education, social development and existing immunisation programmes.
The most successful programmes have used school-based facilities for vaccination. But this excludes adolescents who are not in the school system, hence the need to create facility-based programmes.
Widespread information and population education is critical - education campaigns should include parents, the general population, teachers and healthcare workers.
An adequate supply of vaccine is crucial and the vaccine administration infrastructure must be robust. All the logistics of vaccine implementation, such as distribution, cold chain management, waste control and clinical care must be attended to. Good statistics and information should be maintained and monitored regularly.
Anti-vaccination programmes need to be monitored and their allegations responded to promptly and with cultural sensitivity.
https://theconversation.com/cervical-cancer-can-be-beaten-the-key-is-vaccinating-young-girls-202001