Cervical cancer, a largely preventable and treatable disease, continues to claim the lives of women across the world, underscoring deep gaps in access to healthcare, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
Observed every January, Cancer Awareness Month shines a spotlight on cervical cancer, which WHO ranks as the fourth most common cancer among women globally.
Yet health experts stress that with timely screening, vaccination and treatment, no woman should die from the disease.
According to WHO, an estimated 660,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2022, while about 350,000 lost their lives.
UNICEF further warns that a woman dies from cervical cancer every two minutes, highlighting the urgency of prevention efforts.
What causes cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer develops in the cervix — the lower part of the uterus — and can spread to other organs if not detected early.
Nearly all cases are linked to persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), an extremely common virus transmitted through sexual contact.
Most sexually active people will contract HPV at some point in their lives. In many cases, the body clears the virus naturally.
However, infection with certain high-risk HPV types can cause abnormal cell changes that may progress into cancer if left untreated.
Prevention and treatment
WHO emphasises that cervical cancer is both preventable and curable with proper access to healthcare.
The organisation recommends HPV vaccination for girls aged 9 to 14, before they become sexually active, and regular cervical screening from the age of 30 — or 25 for women living with HIV.
When detected early, cervical cancer is among the most successfully treatable cancers, with high survival rates.
However, unequal access to vaccines, screening tools and treatment continues to fuel high death rates, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, Central America and Southeast Asia.
Global push to eliminate the disease
In 2020, 194 countries launched a global strategy aimed at eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem.
The initiative, marked annually on World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day on November 17, sets ambitious targets to be achieved by 2030.
These include vaccinating 90 per cent of girls against HPV by age 15, screening 70 per cent of women by ages 35 and 45, and ensuring 70 per cent of those diagnosed receive treatment.
WHO estimates that achieving these goals could prevent 74 million new cases and avert 62 million deaths by 2120, offering hope that future generations of women will no longer face a disease that is both predictable and preventable.