Uganda’s Cervical Cancer Burden Above Global Average
Uganda’s strides towards curbing the Cancer burden remains slow paced as more people are diagnosed with cancer a new report reveals.
A new report by the consortium of the Uganda Cancer Society has put the Cervical cancer burden at 45 per every 100,000 compared to the global incidence of 15 women diagnosed with cancer per every 100,000 women.
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Speaking at the study launch, Paul Ebusu Paul the executive director Uganda Cancer Society revealed that more women in Uganda are presenting with Cervical cancer than any where in the world.
Ebusu said that Uganda has three times the global burden of new cases of cervical cancer.
The report indicates that though about 80% of women in Uganda are battling with cervical cancer, many of them never see by a specialized doctor. Many of these women are diagnosed at health camps referred to Uganda cancer institute but never make it for specialized care.
The coordinator for Health Aid Uganda Sharon Natukunda said that many of these women are in rural areas whose cancers are in level 2, 3 and others 4th stage.
The report further highlighted that 90% of all cervical cancer cases are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
Joseph Ekudu Health Aid Uganda said this puts all sexually active women at risk of getting cervical cancer
Government interventions on addressing human papilloma Virus, are geared toward the girl child ignoring the carrier of the virus – the male child.
Ebusu said that while girls between 10 – 18 are vaccinated against, emphasis should be on the male child who spread the virus.
By mid 2016, 65 countries had introduced HPV vaccines, most in developing countries, but including an increasing number of middle- and low-income countries.
