Only 16 per cent of women of reproductive age have undergone cervical cancer screening against a target of 70 per cent, the government said yesterday.
Kenyatta National Hospital CEO Thomas Mutie yesterday raised alarm over few women seeking the services and called for more to be done.
Mutie said it was unfortunate that cervical cancer continues to kill thousands of Kenyans every year yet it is preventable and curable when diagnosed early.
“Screening helps find pre-cancerous changes that can be treated to prevent the cancer from developing,” Mutie said.
He spoke during the launch of a cervical cancer awareness week at KNH. “The main focus of this initiative is to increase public awareness on cervical cancer as a preventable disease and to highlight the role of primary and secondary prevention,” Mutie said.
He said effective prevention and control of cervical cancer can only be achieved through partnerships.
Universal health coverage can only be achieved if the country focused on prevention of killer non-communicable diseases with no signs in the early stages such as cancer, Mutie said.
“No person should die of cervical cancer if we scale up regular screening. It is therefore a moment for many of us who are not affected to support relatives, friends and colleagues who are directly affected by cancer,” he said.
FREE VACCINATION
The awareness week was launched ahead of the Health ministry’s national rollout of human papillomavirus vaccine in May.
The vaccination drive targets girls aged between nine and 14 and be administered for free.
“Cervical cancer is the only cancer with a vaccine. That is a major breakthrough and we should take advantage of it,” Mutie said.
Cervical cancer affects only women, but Mutie said everyone including men have a key role to play in the treatment, including encouraging their wives, mothers and sisters to go for checkup or accompanying them for screening services.
The awareness week is will run until Sunday with free screening services at KNH, Melchizedek Hospital and at the Texas Cancer Centre.
Other facilities that will offer screening include SOS Buruburu and Eldoret and Tunza clinics in 42 counties. “Those found to have suspicious lesions will be given free treatment to stop progression to cervical cancer,” Mutie said.
The week will culminate with a cervical cancer awareness walk at Uhuru Park on Sunday.