Ghana charged to upscale efforts towards elimination of cervical cancer by 2030

In line with the World Health Organization's (WHO) 2030 targets, the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) this past weekend urged Ghana and other African nations to intensify their efforts to eradicate cervical cancer by that time.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has established a goal of vaccinating 90 percent of girls against HPV by the age of 15; screening 70 percent of women with a high-performance test by the age of 30 and again by the age of 45; treating 90 percent of pre-invasive cervical cancers; and managing 90 percent of invasive cancers.

Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Executive Director of CDA Consult, urged Ghana and other African nations to prioritize cervical cancer control in national cancer control plans and to align them with the targets of the WHO Global Strategy for the elimination of cervical cancer.

He made this request while speaking to reporters in the Volta Regional capital Ho over the weekend.

The interaction with the media in the Volta Region is a component of the advocacy campaign "Ghana Must Rise Against Cervical Cancer," launched by CDA Consult, which aims to eradicate cervical cancer by 2030 by increasing preventive measures such as vaccination, detection, and treatment.

The CDA Consult, which is a development communication advocacy non-governmental organization working in collaboration with the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the National Insurance Commission (NIC), educates the public on the dangers of cervical cancer.

Ghana Must Rise Against Cervical Cancer, emanating from the nationwide project “CDA Consult Free Cervical Cancer Change Paradigm Advocacy.”

The CDA Consult is mobilizing stakeholders for relentless advocacy across the 16 regional capitals and about 120 districts in the next five years to ensure that “the public knows the intervention channels available to them to seek medical attention and, where possible, go for treatment.”

In response to questions, Mr. Ameyibor stated that although cervical cancer is one of the most treatable and preventable types of cancer—if detected early—a woman still passes away from it every two minutes and that, according to WHO data, it is still the leading cause of death for women in 42 countries.

The WHO's Global Strategy has set the 90-70-90 goals for countries to accomplish by 2030 as they move towards elimination.

Cervical cancer incidence rates are currently more than ten times higher in Sub-Saharan Africa. The World Health Organisation defines eradication as having fewer than four cases of the disease per 100,000 persons.

Cervical cancer is still the greatest cause of death for women in many countries, but it is a condition that can be prevented and treated, Mr. Ameyibor emphasized.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, incidence rates are currently about ten times higher than what is required for elimination, which is less than four cases per 100,000 people.

The WHO was cited by Mr. Ameyibor as saying, "Vaccinate 90 percent of girls, screen 70 percent of women, and treat 90 percent with cervical disease."

He said that worldwide data suggests that cervical cancer is avoidable and treatable, provided it is identified early and well-controlled. Nevertheless, he added, cervical cancer remains the fourth most frequent type of cancer in women globally, taking the lives of about 350,000 women by 2022.

Cervical cancer is one of the diseases that most reflects global inequality, according to WHO data. 2022 saw nearly 94 percent of deaths take place in low- and middle-income nations.

Because there is limited access to public health services and a lack of widespread implementation of cervical cancer screening and treatment, this is the region with the highest incidence of cervical cancer.

An ambitious, concerted, and inclusive strategy has been developed to guide the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem.

“CDA Consult will therefore, in collaboration with other stakeholders, seek policy change and undertake capacity-strengthening initiatives that will focus on training and elevating the capacity of community health and outreach workers to deliver integrated services,” Mr. Ameyibor stated.