Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi says South Africa is intensifying efforts to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat by 2030, as the country strengthens its vaccination and screening programmes.
Motsoaledi was speaking during a virtual press conference hosted by World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday, where global health leaders discussed strategies to eliminate cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in South Africa, with more than 11,000 new cases diagnosed each year and nearly 6,000 deaths annually.
Motsoaledi said the disease is largely preventable through vaccination and early detection.
“Cervical cancer is preventable through the vaccination of girls between the ages of nine and 15. It is also curable if detected early, yet it remains the leading cause of cancer death among South African women,” Motsoaledi said.
He explained that South Africa began vaccinating schoolgirls against the human papillomavirus (HPV) in 2014, targeting girls aged between nine and 15 at public schools across the country.
“Since the start of the programme, we have reached about six million schoolgirls. We are truly grateful for the conclusion by the WHO that one dose is enough because previously we were administering two doses every year,” he said.
Motsoaledi added that the government has decided to expand the program beyond public schools.
“We were only targeting public schools in the Republic. We have now taken a decision that we will also go to private and independent schools to reach more girls because we now have more doses,” he said.
He also confirmed that a national campaign to eliminate cervical cancer will be launched in the coming weeks, in line with the WHO’s global 90-70-90 strategy.
“The launch will be headed by the President himself. In other words, it is no longer the Minister of Health who is going to launch this campaign to end cervical cancer. It will be the President,” Motsoaledi said.
Photo: X/ @HealthZA
