January is World Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
It's all about creating awareness of the importance and availability of cervical cancer screening and treatment for women at risk.
Cervical cancer is a disease that develops when cells of the cervix grow out of control.
Giving an overview on cervical cancer awareness, Medical Officer, Dr. Chatty Lisoma says even though the disease is preventable, many women still die from it.
Dr. Lisoma revealed that globally,
every two minutes, a woman dies of cervical cancer and says that this is an alarming problem that shouldn't be taken lightly.
In Namibia, cervical cancer is the second most common type after breast cancer.
According to the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services Dr. Utjiua Muinjangue Globally, Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of death amongst women worldwide, and in Namibia, it is actually the second leading cause of death amongst women.
Cervical cancer can be prevented through vaccination, screening and treatment.
Screening identifies pre-cancerous cells that are not yet cancerous but if left untreated, may become life-threatening.
90% of girls should be fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by age 15, 70% of women should be screened by 35 at least once and by the age of 45 years. 90% of those screened and found with pre-cancerous lesions need to receive treatment.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services is working on introducing a vaccine for the Human Papillomavirus or HPV, which is the most common cause of cervical cancer.
At the moment, the vaccine is only available with private medical care.
PEPFAR Country Coordinator Cheryl Ambroso studies also show that circumcision reduces the transmission of the human papillomavirus. Circumcision is an effective way for men to reduce the risk of HIV and reduce the risk of cervical cancer for their partners.
Between 2018 and 2020, more than 91 thousand women in Namibia were screened for cervical cancer.
In 2020 the cervical cancer program maintained a treatment rate of 90.14 percent.