Statistics indicate that nine Kenyan women including those in their 20s succumb to complications of cervical cancer every day
In this regard, the County Government of Nakuru has launched an awareness campaign on cervical cancer, in a move aimed at reducing cancer burden through early diagnosis and treatment.
According to County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health Services, Roselyn Mungai, the devolved unit seeks to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer in the region by reaching 1 million women and girls with information on screening and vaccination.
Ms Mungai said they were partnering with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the initiative and indicated that 15 level 4 public health facilities, including the Nakuru Level 5 Teaching and Referral Hospital were offering free cervical and prostate cancer screenings throughout the week.
The CECM regretted that despite Cervical cancer being preventable and treatable, the disease continued to affect the health of many women around the world, including in Kenya.
“For many women, cervical cancer remains a serious threat due to a lack of information or access to necessary care,” she explained.
Ms. Mungai said the County had intensified a public health initiative to eliminate cervical cancer by strengthening prevention, early detection, and routine treatment mechanisms across all the 11 sub-counties.
The CRCM made the remarks during a Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) review workshop, where health stakeholders gathered to evaluate service delivery performance, map operational gaps, and establish solutions to expand life-saving preventive care to County residents.
Ms Mungai indicated that her department was prioritizing targeted community outreach to address information gaps, fear, and social stigma, factors that currently impede timely screening.
The County government, she added, plans to deploy sustained public education drives and advocacy initiatives, including coordinated dress-code campaigns during cancer awareness months, to encourage proactive health-seeking behavior.
The CECM asked Kenyans to visit health facilities for regular screening for cervical cancer to ensure early detection.
She stressed the importance of consistent patient follow-up and accurate data management to ensure that individuals who require treatment are not lost along the care pathway.
To further strengthen the initiative, Ms Mungai indicated that they were collaborating closely with a development partner Tujenge Jamii to advance human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, cervical cancer screening and treatment services.
The CECM affirmed that the County Government will do more public awareness, including in the churches, as a way of ensuring the information reaches a wider audience.
She noted that one of the primary ways to prevent cervical cancer is through regular screening and vaccination and asked parents to have their daughters vaccinated against the same.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which prevents the types of HPV that most commonly cause cervical cancer, has been shown to significantly reduce incidents of the disease.
Early detection through cervical screening allows for the identification and treatment of precancerous lesions before they develop into full-blown cancer.
Ms Mungai stated that Governor Susan Kihika’s administration through the Community Health Promoters (CHPs) had embarked on an awareness campaign targeting parents to embrace vaccination, adding that the vaccine is safe and no one should fear it.
The CHPs, she said, would also work towards making the public understand the vaccine and its safety.
She said there was a need for regular screening for early detection so that one can start treatment at the earliest stage in case one is diagnosed with cancer.
“Every girl below 15 years should be taken for vaccination, while women between 25 and 50 years should go for screening,” the CECM advised.
Ms Mungai expressed concern that studies had indicated that cervical cancer deaths will rise by 50 percent if stakeholders in the health sector do not act.
The official observed that 50 percent of Kenya’s workforce was made up of women who continue working and contributing to the economy productively and said there was need to ensure women access screening and timely treatment to ultimately eliminate cervical cancer.
The Ministry of Health indicates that only 16 percent of all eligible women aged between 25 and 49 have been screened for cervical cancer at some point in their lives, despite 75 percent being aware of the need for screening.
In 2019 the Ministry of Health introduced the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that protects against HPV types 16 and 18, which the World Health Organization (WHO) says cause at least 70 percent of cervical cancer.
The vaccination drive targets girls aged 9 to 14 years. The vaccine is administered in two doses, six months apart, and provides strong protection against the virus.
Every year, about 5,236 Kenyan women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and about 60 percent of them (3,211) die, according to the World Health Organization’s latest data. The number could be more, given that many cases go unreported.
The CECM stated it was disturbing that some of the women were already burdened by HIV/Aids and poverty and were caught off guard by another disease that they know little about.
Cervical cancer is still shrouded in silence due to shame culture, lack of sex education and stigma around sexually transmitted illnesses.
Kenya has one of the highest rates globally, with 40 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed per 100,000 women annually.
A health survey conducted towards the end of 2021 shows cervical cancer as the second most common cancer, after breast cancer, and the leading cause of cancer related deaths among women in Kenya, contributing to 5,336 new cases and 3,211 deaths annually.
This is the second most common cancer among women worldwide after breast cancer and the number one killer of women in developing countries like Kenya, the official elaborated.
Data from Nairobi alone, from the cancer registry at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), indicates that cervical cancer accounts for between 20 and 25 percent of cancers reported in women in the period 2019 to 2025.
The figures are much higher nationally. The estimates by International Agency for Research on Cancer ((IARC) indicate that 2, 635 Kenyans aged between 15 and 65 develop cervical cancer, 65 percent of whom die of the disease.
Ms. Mungai elaborated that out of more than 200 strains of HPV, about 14 are considered high-risk for cervical cancer, with types 16 and 18 causing nearly 70% of cases worldwide.
She added that while most HPV infections clear up naturally within two years, some persist and cause changes in cervical cells that, if untreated, can develop into invasive cancer.
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022, an estimated 660,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer worldwide, and about 350,000 women died from the disease.
Alarmingly, the highest incidence of these deaths occurred in low and middle-income countries where access to screening and treatment is limited.
Ms Mungai asserted that most cancers were treatable if diagnosed early. She called on Kenyans to change their perception of the disease as a death sentence.
According to statistics by the Ministry of Health, the national uptake of screening stands at 16 percent.
She said there was a need to bridge the gap between screening and medication, adding that most cancer cases are diagnosed late when nothing much can be done.
The CECM explained that Kenyan women can no longer afford to ignore cervical cancer, which is among the most common forms of cancer.
In Kenya, the burden is particularly heavy. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women, after breast cancer, and it’s the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women aged 15 to 44. According to the Kenya: Human Papillomavirus and Related Cancers, Fact Sheet 2023, annually, more than 5,200 women in Kenya are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and over 3,200 lose their lives to it.
While HPV is the main cause, certain factors increase the risk of developing cervical cancer, the official explained that sexual activity at a young age increases exposure to the virus, and having multiple sexual partners raises the chances of contracting high-risk strains.
Also, women with weakened immune systems, such as those living with HIV/AIDS, are particularly vulnerable to persistent infections. Smoking has also been linked to abnormal changes in cervical cells. Without regular screening, early-stage cervical cancer often goes unnoticed, as it develops silently without symptoms.
The CECM affirmed that pap smears, which detect abnormal cervical cells, are recommended every three years for women aged 21 to 65 and that for women aged 30 and above, HPV testing often combined with Pap smears is advised to identify high-risk infections early.
Lifestyle choices can also help prevent cervical cancer. Practicing safe sex reduces the risk of HPV transmission while avoiding smoking lowers the chances of developing cervical abnormalities. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly can strengthen the immune system, offering additional protection against infections, she elaborated.
In 2020, WHO launched the Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative aimed at reducing the disease’s incidence to fewer than four cases per 100,000 women by 2030. This goal depends on vaccinating 90% of girls by age 15, screening 70% of women at least twice in their lives, and treating 90% of those diagnosed with cervical disease.
The CECM emphasized the necessity of citizens’ voluntary screening and the importance of healthcare workers’ follow-up to ensure that positive test results are promptly addressed with treatment.
“Cervical cancer doesn’t have to be a silent killer. By focusing on vaccination, regular screening, and education, we can empower women to take charge of their health and significantly reduce the impact of this preventable disease. Every woman deserves the chance to live free from the shadow of cervical cancer,” she observed.
In efforts to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030, the official said the governments should have fully vaccinated 90 percent of their girls by the age of 15 with the HPV vaccine outlined by the WHO in its global strategy for tackling the public health problem.
In addition, the government should ensure 70 percent of women are screened at 35-45 years. And ensure 90 percent of women identified with precancer or invasive cervical cancer receive treatment.
By Esther Mwangi and Jefther Afuyo
