WHO launches a strategy to eliminate cervical cancer

Save more than 5 million lives by 2050? This is the hope of the World Health Organization. They have just launched a new strategy that aims to eliminate cervical cancer that affects many women around the world by increasing access to vaccination, screening and treatment.

In a statement, the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, appears optimistic “.Eliminating cancer would once have seemed like an impossible dream, but today we have effective and inexpensive evidence-based tools to make that dream come true“.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in a woman and can be cured if caught early enough and treated appropriately. But the WHO remains alarmist about its progress. If no action is taken, the number of new cases per year could increase significantly. According to their estimate, it is projected to increase from 570,000 to 700,000 by 2030, and the annual number of deaths is expected to increase from 311,000 to 400,000.

The 194 members of the WHO passed a resolution last week to eliminate cervical cancer. “This is an important stepPrincess Nothemba Simelela, WHO Deputy Director General, said.For the first time, the world has agreed to eliminate the only cancer we can prevent with a vaccine and the only cancer that is curable if caught early.“, she added.

The head of the WHO insisted on the collaboration of all states in this fight. “However, we can only eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem if we harness the power of the tools at our disposal to consistently extend its use globally.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus having you.

In most rich countries, the three key steps to prevent the onset of the human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer, are widespread. It’s all about vaccination, screening and treatment. However, due to the high price of the vaccine, the situation is not the same all over the world.

WHO wants 90% of girls to be vaccinated against cervical cancer by the age of 15. It also predicts that 70% of women aged 35 and 45 can be tested. The organization estimates that if these measures are implemented correctly, the risk of new cervical cancer cases can decrease by 40% by 2030 and hopes to save 5 million lives by 2050. “We can write history to ensure a future without cervical cancer“, a reassured Princess Nothemba Simelela.