Why cervical cancer fight is a major health concern in Kenya

Cervical cancer is a disease linked to high-risk infections of Human papillomaviruses (HPV). This includes persistent infections causes abnormal cells to develop gradually changing the cervical DNA. Without proper treatment in the cervix (womb), it causes 95% of the cervical cancer in women. 

It takes 15-20 years for the abnormal cells to develop and become cancer leading to cancer related deaths increase in Kenya and globally. Reports shows that eight women die everyday due to cervical cancer in which Kenya has recorded high incidence of cervical cancer with an estimated 5,236 new cases and 3211 deaths annually.

This disease being a concern after the breast cancer puts elderly sexually active women at risk because skin to skin contact, oral or anal sex involving genital areas contributes to the infections. Cervical cancer is characterized with few or no symptoms but causes pain in the pelvis area, and during sexual intercourse. 

It is also characterized by discomfort in the vaginal area, irregular than usual menstrual cramps, abnormal vaginal bleeding and discharge with a foul smell. 

Other symptoms are nausea, back pain and fatigue. The risk factors concluding to the disease include weak immune systems, smoking which damages cervical cells, long term use of oral contraceptives, having multiple sexual partners and lastly having multiple full term pregnancies and giving birth at a very early age.

The low socio-economic status that makes it hard to access to health care reflects major inequities driven by lack of treatment services.

Prevention is better. Right? Different prevention strategies have been considered such as the administration of prophylactic vaccine against HPV. Screening from 25 years of age and after every 5 years is done when early detection of the disease and proper treatment cures cervical cancer.

The HPV vaccination is given at the age of 9-14 years. Treatment steps that have been introduced in Kenya include thermal ablation, cryotherapy, which basically freezing and burning of the cells to kill them completely, (LEETZ) Large Loop Excision of the transformation zone and Cone biopsy which are the major achievements in helping to combat the disease with the help of World Health Organizations (WHO).

Apart from medical treatment and diagnosis to cure cervical cancer, the Kenyan government provides necessary resources to conduct public awareness, education on the prevention and about the disease and access to HPV vaccine to also done in rural areas who can be ignorant and may have limited access to medical facilities.

Education provides information about the disease to avoid ignorance and stigmatization of cervical cancer patients. Total gratitude to the World Health Organization who have organized strategies to achieve healthy measures to prevent and treat cervical cancer.

In conclusion cervical cancer is preventable and treatable thus Kenya being a third world country with shortage of healthcare resources and facilities urges its population to consider early vaccination and early detection that will help reduce deaths of many women from this disease. The government and Kenyan population are therefore working together to deal with this situation as the governmental funds for health are set aside to fight death rates of Kenyan women. With time, cervical cancer can be averted and treated.