“Uganda continues to lag behind in adopting cervical cancer screening and testing innovations, despite being among the top ten countries with the highest burden of the disease globally,” says Dr. Martin Origa, a Gynecologist Oncologist based at Uganda Cancer Institute.
According to Dr. Origa, while other countries have embraced technologies that empower women to collect vaginal samples independently for testing, Uganda still exclusively relies on physician-collected samples. He emphasizes, “There is a need for us to catch up with the times and embrace HPV DNA testing.”
Dr. Origa further explains that they have enhanced their screening techniques by implementing HPV DNA tests, which offer greater precision. Their new recommendation is for women to undergo cervical cancer screening every five years, a shift from the previous recommendation of three-yearly screening.
He states, “We are now advocating for a five-year screening interval, which is in line with the latest advancements in HPV DNA testing.”
Despite these efforts, Dr. Origa notes that they are working diligently to revamp screening services. However, he expresses concern that despite increased awareness, many women still seek medical care when it is already too late.
For instance, last year in Uganda, out of 6,900 women diagnosed with cervical cancer, 4,300 lost their lives primarily due to delayed medical attention.
He laments, “Last year we saw a significant number of women succumbing to cervical cancer due to late diagnosis, and we are striving to address this by improving access to screening.”
Cervical cancer presents with various symptoms, including unexplained bleeding, bleeding during sexual intercourse, and a foul vaginal odor, among others.
Detecting cancer tends to be delayed because these symptoms are similar to those experienced by women with other infections who often seek incorrect treatments. An expert in the field adds, “When women have these symptoms, they may initially receive a course of antibiotics, delaying the diagnosis of cervical cancer.”
In an effort to combat this preventable cancer through vaccination, the Ministry of Health has devised a strategy. This strategy aims to ensure that 90% of eligible girls receive the HPV vaccine, 70% of all women can easily access screening services, and 90% of those diagnosed with the disease receive timely healthcare.
However, the ministry faces challenges in achieving the initial goal of vaccinating all adolescent girls. Dr. Michael Baganizi, the Manager of the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunisation (UNEPI), explains that the COVID-19 pandemic led to significant setbacks in immunization due to prolonged school closures.
He states, “During the pandemic, we faced major challenges with immunization, especially due to extended school closures.” Currently, they have successfully administered the first dose of the HPV vaccine to 95% of their initial target, but many girls do not return for the crucial second and third doses, impacting the effectiveness of the prevention method.