By Sylvia Chebet
The discovery of Human papillomavirus (HPV), a cluster of 200-odd related viruses, as the primary cause of cervical cancer, was a seminal moment in cancer research.
This crucial finding, dating back several decades, suggested that cervical cancer could be prevented and treated more effectively than before.
Ironically, the disease remains the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide.
The picture is even grimmer in Africa. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 19 of 20 countries with the highest incidence of cervical cancer are in Africa.
"In 2022, over 100,000 new cases were recorded in the WHO Afro region, consisting of 47 member states. We lost over 76,000 women to cancer of the cervix that year, which translates into almost nine deaths every hour," Sharon Kapambwe, an expert on cancer prevention strategies, tells TRT Afrika.
Unrelenting scourge
Cancer deaths devastate families and communities, leaving children orphaned and sometimes plunging households into poverty.
The good news is that scientists have proven that cervical cancer is not only preventable but also curable – if detected early and managed effectively.
WHO's director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, believes that eliminating cervical cancer is possible within a generation.
"Unlike most other cancers, we have the ability to eliminate cervical cancer, along with its painful inequities," he says.
HPV vaccine shield
Researchers say persistent exposure to HPV types 16 and 18 is responsible for approximately 70% of cervical cancer cases.
With scientific advances, achieving the global eradication target is looking increasingly realistic.
The WHO chief sees the introduction of a single-dose HPV vaccine, now adopted by 60 countries, as a game-changer in improving vaccination coverage.
"By adding another option for a one-dose HPV vaccination schedule, we have taken another step closer to consigning cervical cancer to history," says Ghebreyesus.
Cecolin is the fourth WHO-prequalified HPV vaccine approved for use in a single-dose schedule.
HPV vaccine introductions have been generally hampered by global supply shortages since 2018, impacting millions of girls in need of vaccination in Africa and Asia.
"Having 90% of girls fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by 15 years of age is the target for the first pillar of the WHO global strategy for cervical cancer elimination," says Dr Kate O'Brien, director of the department of immunisation, vaccines and biologicals at WHO.
"Given the continuing supply challenges, the addition of a single-dose vaccine product means countries will have a greater choice of vaccines to reach more girls."
Global data released on July 15 last year indicates that single-dose HPV vaccine coverage among girls in the age group 9-14 increased from 20% in 2022 to 27% in 2023.
That meant an additional six million girls in 37 countries received HPV vaccination.
By September 2024, the number of countries implementing the single-dose vaccine schedule had risen to 57.
Political commitment
WHO's goal of eliminating cervical cancer depends on strong political commitment and international cooperation to ensure equitable access to the tools required for the purpose.
"We need to make sure that governments prioritise cervical cancer and it is included in universal health coverage benefit packages," Kapambwe tells TRT Afrika.
"We need to increase access to HPV-based screening and our understanding of the socio-cultural dynamics of our region, which are unique."
Since 194 countries resolved to eliminate cervical cancer, at least 144 have introduced the HPV vaccine, including 29 in Africa.
Over 60 countries worldwide and 17 in Africa now have HPV testing in their cervical screening programmes.
A total of 83 countries have incorporated surgical-care services for cervical cancer into health-benefit packages.
With a comprehensive approach to preventing, screening and treating, healthcare experts are confident that cervical cancer can be a thing of the past.
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