The Ministry of Health plans to roll out the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination across all 47 counties as a measure to reduce the rising instances of cervical cancer in the nation.
Dr. Elias Melly, the CEO of the National Cancer Institute, announced that the government will cover the expenses of the vaccine. He emphasized the importance of dispelling myths surrounding the vaccine and assured the public of its safety.
He pointed out that statistics in the country indicate that every year 44,000 people are diagnosed with cancer out of which 28,000 were women, most of whom are diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Dr. Melly, addressing Community Health Promoters (CHP) in Bungoma, explained that the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines specify the administration of the vaccine to girls aged 15. Additionally, women aged 35 to 45 will undergo screening, and those diagnosed with infection will receive treatment.
He said that cervical cancer can be prevented if detected early through screening and eventually treatment and asked women to take the vaccination exercise seriously.
He further pointed out that every year 3,600 women in the country are diagnosed with cervical cancer out of which 67 percent die every year, a situation he said can be averted if the women are sensitized on the importance of screening and vaccination.
According to experts, in Kenya, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women aged 15 years to 44 years. It is estimated that every year, 5,250 women in the country are diagnosed with the disease, and about 3,286 cervical cancer deaths occur annually. At the same time, 10.3 million women aged 15 years and above are at risk of developing the disease.
He said that the Ministry of Health will train Community Health Promoters (CHP) on Cancer to enable them to impart the same education to the community at the grassroots level.
