Health officials from Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) has said that while 750 patients are diagnosed every year with cervical cancer, the majority are the ones left undiagnosed due to lack of awareness.
This was disclosed during a cervical cancer awareness campaign dubbed "Educate, Screen and Treat (EST) Programme” by RBC in partnership with Bio Ventures Global Health (BVGH).
The one month campaign kicked off Tuesday, September 7, in Bugesera District. It targets 51,000 middle-aged women from 30 to 49 years and people living with HIV/AIDS aged from 25 to 49 years.
"This is a pilot programme, not only in Bugesera District but in other parts of the country as well, we call upon all eligible women to come in for screening and be able to receive early treatment once detected,” said Dr Marc Hagenimana, the Director of Cancer Diseases Unit at RBC.
Out of the 5,000 cases of cancer that were diagnosed in Rwanda last year, he said, cervical cancer was the second most prevalent after breast cancer.
In general, cancer has more than doubled in Rwanda over the last four years, rising from 2,115 cases in 2015 to 5,040 in 2019.
"This is because more people were screened in health facilities,” Dr. Hagenimana said, while pointing out that a combination of the negative mindset and the limited access to information about this cancer has been responsible for the low diagnoses.
Marie-Chantal Mutuyimana, a resident of Kanzenze cell, Ntarama sector, came at Ntarama Health Centre for screening and said the awareness was highly welcomed. "The essential thing is to know your condition and how to conduct yourself accordingly.”
Almost all cervical cancer cases are linked to infection with Human Papilloma Viruses (HPV), an extremely common virus transmitted through sexual contact.
‘Uncomfortable screening methods’
Many women are said to be reluctant to get tested for cervical cancer because of the discomfort the screening method may present to them.
However, Dr Hagenimana assures women about the safety and privacy of testing methods done.
"The way we test people to detect cervical cancer symptoms, we first start with the detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) which is the virus that causes cancer,” he said. "There are two approaches, a person may be guided on how to take the test herself or allow the doctor to do it. People can be assured that the process is safe and without consequence.”
When one has pre-cancerous elisions, he said, she can be treated at any health centre free of charge, while after being diagnosed with cancer at an early stage, a patient can receive treatment using their health insurance.
‘Championing HPV vaccination’
The World Health Organisation launched a target of cervical cancer elimination as a public health problem in a period of 2020-2030 with HPV vaccination as an effective primary approach and screening and treatment of pre-cancerous elisions as the second approach.
Rwanda started the HPV vaccination programme in 2011, targeting 12-year-old school girls. Health officials say that 97 per cent of them are vaccinated each year.
In Africa, the number of deaths due to cancer is more than malaria, BVGH launched the African Access Initiative (AAI) in 2017 to address Africa’s growing cancer crisis with a focus on establishing sustainable access to oncology medicines and technologies.