Today is World Cancer Day.
Did you know that in 2020 over 600,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer and an estimated 340,000 women died prematurely from the disease?
If nothing is done about cervical cancer, experts predict that there will be 520,000 deaths in 2040 from cervical cancer. Many of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries; in fact, nearly 90% of cervical cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria.
Cervical cancer is a disease that can be prevented with routine actions, such as vaccination, as well as regular health checks such as screening for pre-cancerous lesions.
Eliminating cervical cancer is achievable for all countries. Some high-income countries with widespread vaccination and screening programmes, such as Australia, are on target to achieve elimination by 2035.
A woman is more likely to die from cervical cancer simply because she lacks economic means and education, is vulnerable or from a marginalised community. Why is that the case?
One reason is that the availability and accessibility of the HPV vaccine (which helps to prevent the development of cervical cancer) are inequitably distributed by geography and resource level. Furthermore, the cost of vaccines while dropping remains very high.
This World Cancer Day, CancerAware calls on the Government of Nigeria to give the cervical cancer incidence in the country the priority it requires by adding HPV vaccination to the routine immunisation schedule in the country so eligible girls can access it.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
(1) Our online petition at CancerAware has been signed by almost 50,000 people from all around the world. You can also lend your voice. Click HERE to sign the petition.
(2) You can get your cervical screening done or gift your loved ones (mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, e.t.c) a cervical screening test. You could be saving a life. Click HERE to book a test.
Credits: @worldcancerday @uicc_official