Cervical cancer screening with HPV test to be rollout countrywide

The government has scaled up efforts to beat cervical cancer, the leading cause of death among women in Kenya.

The health ministry has announced the full countrywide rollout of the improved and expanded Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) testing method.

The Ministry has further confirmed that the HPV testing has proven to be effective in screening for cervical cancer following its pilot in six counties of Kilifi, Kajiado, Nakuru, Mombasa, Meru and Kitui with high incidences of cases in the country.

“The pilot phase was implemented in Kilifi, Kajiado, Nakuru, Mombasa, Meru and Kitui counties with their choice informed by the significant high cancer burden in respective counties as well as the capacity to successfully run the tests,” said the MOH on its Twitter handle.

“A report on the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) testing method, as the gold standard for cervical cancer screening, has recommended it is scaling up across the country following a successful pilot program implemented across six counties over the past year,” the ministry says.

Cervical Cancer is among the leading causes of cancer deaths among women in Kenya with cancer remaining a major public health concern across the globe.  It is the fourth most common cancer in women around the world, killing more than 300,000 each year.

In Kenya, nine women die every day from cervical cancer including those in the age group of the 20s.

Two years ago, Kenya launched the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine becoming the 16th country in Africa to introduce the vaccine into its routine immunization schedule.

According to health experts, the HPV vaccine has the potential to cut the burden of cervical cancer by 70 per cent.

Trials were conducted between 2013 and 2015 in Kitui covering 22,500 children of ages 9 to 11 resulting in 95 per cent evidence-based success.

The World Health Organization (WHO) strategy towards the elimination of Cancer by 2030 envisions 90 per cent of girls to be fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by 15 years of age,  70 per cent of women are screened with a high-precision test at 35 and 45 years of age; and 90% per cent of women identified with cervical disease receive treatment and care.