Staff Reporter
ABOUT 342 000 women died from cervical cancer in 2020, with 117 000 deaths occurring in Africa.
This is according to a study conducted by The African Cancer Registry Network (AFCRN) in collaboration with the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and the International Agency for Research of Cancer (IARC).
Less developed countries, like Namibia, bear a large part of the cervical cancer burden.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN), Rolf Hansen, about 3 700 cancers are diagnosed in Namibia every year.
Of these cases, 54% are in women and the overwhelming majority of these cases are breast and cervical cancer.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cervical cancer has a 37,4% mortality rate and a 22,5% death rate in Namibia.
In a recently shared post, Hansen stated that the main culprit is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is a sexually transmitted disease that causes cervical cancer in women.
Fortunately, the body can fight against this virus if the individual has a strong immune system. However, for those who are immune-compromised, particularly women living with HIV, HPV can be deadly.
WHO stated that women living with HIV are five to six times more at risk of developing cervical cancer and are also more likely to die within 15 months from the time of identification.
In addition, women living with HIV are also more likely to get genital HPV infections and to develop multiple HPV infections and strains.
Considering the impact of HPV, testing for the virus is therefore strongly encouraged. However, while this is the best screening method, it can be costly, Hansen stated.
Fortunately, it is not the only method that is used in Namibia.
Namibia also makes use of the traditional cytology, commonly referred to as a pap smear and Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA), which is time-consuming, but cost-effective.
Besides encouraging the public to address the urgency before the need arises, Hansen also emphasised the importance of vaccination against HPV.
This is also reflected in the WHO’s Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer.
This strategy calls for the vaccination of 90% of girls by the age of 15, the screening of 70% of women by the age of 35 and 45 and the treatment of 90% of women living with cervical cancer.
File photo for illustrative purposes only.
