Cervical cancer deaths rising

Tanaka Mahanya

THE president of Sabin Vaccine Institute Global Immunisation, Anuradha Gupta, says cervical deaths were rising.

It kills at least 340 000 women globally each year, with 600 000 new cases identified annually.

Gupta noted that both incidence and related deaths from the disease had risen in recent years.

He revealed that 90 percent of deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, where screening and treatment is often lacking.

Gupta called on individuals to take advantage of available vaccines.

“In 2019, there were less than 185 000 deaths of women related to cervical cancer every year.

“And, in 2020, the number shot up to more than 340 000.

“Every year, we have 600 000 new cancer infections.

“What is even more scary is the fact that 90 percent of these cervical cancer deaths happen in low and medium-income countries because screening and treatment facilities are lacking.”

She said failure to get screened on time worsens the situation.

“When women are not screened and treated on time, they develop full blown cases of cervical cancer and it is very difficult as prices for treatment are very high.

“The majority of people being affected are youths between the ages of 19 and 45 years.

“People should grab opportunities to use vaccines to prevent mortality and medical expenditures that push so many families and people into extreme poverty,” she said.