Cervical Cancer can be eliminated – WHO

…As Health Minister charges Development partners to join FG in its quest

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reiterated the need for countries of the world to collectively fight Cervical Cancer, saying it can be eliminated in this generation.

WHO representative, Dr. Walter Mulombo gave the assurance on Tuesday at a lighting event organized by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in Abuja, to commemorate the 2020 World Cervical Cancer Day Celebration.

The ceremony which took place at the agency headquarter amidst pomp was a gathering of implementing partners, health advocates, development partners and other stakeholders in the health sector.

Mulombo noted that the disease was curable but that failure to mitigate it would increase casualty figures by 2025.

He said, “Countries of the world came together in August at a world assembly and resolved to end cervical cancer as a public health problem by passing a resolution and adopting a strategy to make it happen.

“With the global elimination strategy in place, WHO and Nigerian government has through various initiatives in conjunction with NPCHDA carried out screening, immunization and vaccination on women and girl-child as a way of eliminating the disease before the stipulated 2030,”

While giving a keynote address at the ceremony, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire acknowledged the efforts of development partners for strengthening the health system.

While calling on partners and stakeholders to join in the fight to eliminate the disease, Ehanire hinted that the Buhari’s administration has upgraded tertiary health facilities like Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy to further eliminate cases in the country.

In his own remarks, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnmibe Mamora told stakeholders that government has made significant progress in eliminating the disease among women ang girl-child especially the rural women.

He then assured that that government was committed to inculcating the vaccine into routine vaccine programmes in 2021, to achieve the WHO target.

Also, in a brief remark, the Executive Director/CEO of NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shauib observed that cervical cancer accounts for more deaths than malaria especially in developing nations.

“This disease is preventable through vaccination such that it would not only improve health of the affected persons but also save the country some finances,” Shauib added.

He then hailed global efforts and Nigeria government steps in the realization of the WHO global target.

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