50% mortality rate for Namibian women diagnosed wi...

50% mortality rate for Namibian women diagnosed with cervical cancer

Xinhua- More than 50 percent of women diagnosed with cervical cancer in Namibia do not survive, Ester Muinjangue, the country's deputy minister of health and social services, said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the launch of National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, ahead of World Cancer Day which falls on Feb. 4, Muinjangue emphasized the urgency of addressing this public health crisis and underscored the importance of early detection through screening.

"In Namibia, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer after breast cancer, and it is estimated that 236 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, with 135 dying from the disease each year," she said.

According to Muinjangue, since 2018, public health facilities have screened 138,992 women using Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) and Pap smear screening methods. However, there remains a significant number of women who have not yet been screened.

She said the commemoration of National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and World Cancer Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of and availability of cervical cancer screening and treatment services at public health facilities for women who are at risk.

"By promoting awareness, regular screenings, and access to quality healthcare, we are not only preventing illness but also nurturing a society that values the well-being of its citizens," she said.

As part of the commemoration, all public health facilities across the country will be providing unscaled cervical cancer screening services from Jan. 22 to Feb. 2, and will continue to do so as an integrated health approach.

"During this campaign, cervical and breast cancer screening, as well as other general examinations, will be performed, while health education about cervical cancer prevention will be massively disseminated," she said.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Namibia has a population of 855,578 women aged 15 years and above who are at risk of developing cervical cancer. ■