The United Nations (UN), has reassured women that cervical cancer can be prevented and successfully treated if detected early, urging improved access to vaccination, screening and timely care, particularly in countries like Nigeria.
The global body made this known in a statement to mark January’s Cancer Awareness Month, noting that cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
According to the UN, cervical cancer develops in the cervix and can spread to other parts of the body when diagnosis and treatment are delayed.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), disclosed that about 660,000 women were diagnosed with the disease worldwide in 2022, while an estimated 350,000 deaths were recorded.
UNICEF also raised concern over the growing burden of the disease, warning that “every two minutes, a woman somewhere in the world dies from cervical cancer,” describing it as a serious public health challenge that disproportionately affects women in Africa, including Nigeria.
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Health experts explained that nearly all cases of cervical cancer are linked to persistent infection with the human papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV, which is transmitted through sexual contact.
While most HPV infections clear naturally, experts say prolonged infection with high-risk strains can cause abnormal cell growth that may develop into cancer.
The WHO stressed that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer when detected early. “With the right tools – vaccination, regular screening and prompt treatment – no woman should die from cervical cancer,” the organisation said.
To curb the spread of the disease, the WHO recommends HPV vaccination for girls between the ages of nine and 14 before they become sexually active, as well as routine cervical screening for women from age 30, or from 25 for women living with HIV.
Despite these measures, the UN noted that unequal access to healthcare services continues to fuel high rates of illness and death in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. It added that limited awareness, poverty and weak health systems remain major obstacles.
In response, 194 countries, including Nigeria, adopted a global strategy in 2020 aimed at eliminating cervical cancer, with November 17 set aside as World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day.
Under the strategy, the WHO targets vaccinating 90 per cent of girls against HPV by age 15, screening 70 per cent of women by ages 35 and 45, and ensuring that at least 70 per cent of women diagnosed with cervical cancer receive appropriate treatment by 2030.
The WHO estimates that achieving these targets could prevent over 74 million new cases and save about 62 million lives globally by the year 2120, urging governments and stakeholders to act decisively to protect women’s health.
