Save the Cervix Initiative, Oxford HealthPlus Strengthen Efforts against Cervical Cancer

Save the Cervix Initiative and partner, Oxford HealthPlus hospital have renewed their commitment to eliminate the scourge of cervical cancer in Nigeria.

This is as nations around the globe marked World Health Organisation, WHO’s first year of the Cervical Cancer Elimination movement in Nigeria.

Both Save the Cervix Initiative and Oxford HealthPlus seized the occasion to advocate within communities the benefits of screening, treatment and vaccination for cervical cancer in Nigeria and Africa.

On November 17 2020, 194 countries resolved to eliminate cervical cancer, with the WHO launched a Global Strategy to make it happen.

As part of celebrations for the anniversary, various cities featured a tradition of lighting the world in teal colour for cervical cancer elimination.

The lighting was held at HealthPlus Hospitals followed by an Instagram live via @Savethecervix_, featuring health talk and an interactive session that created awareness and educated the public about the scourge as well as the need for prevention, treatment and advocacy.

Speaking, Convener of Save the Cervix Initiative,Audrey Akpevwe Odogu said, “Cervical cancer is adjudged preventable and curable, as long as it is detected early and managed effectively. Yet it is the fourth most common form of cancer among women worldwide, with the disease claiming the lives of more than 300,000 women in 2018.”

Chief Operations Officer of Oxford Healthplus Hospital, Dr. Nwabuoku Emmanuel stated that WHO’s call for action to eliminate cervical cancer in 2018 instigated a renewed political will to make elimination a reality

Emmanuel also appealed to all stakeholders to unite behind the common goal.

By August 2020 the World Health Assembly adopted the Global Strategy for cervical cancer elimination.

The strategy resolved that all countries must reach and maintain an incidence rate of below four per 100,000 women

Achieving the goal rests on three key pillars and their corresponding targets.

They include: Vaccinationof 90% girls with the HPV at the age of 15; achieving screening of 70% women using a high-performance test by the age of 35, and again by the age of 45; as wells a treatment of women with pre-cancer and management of women with invasive cancer.