Vaccination and cancer screening rates for women remain low

Specific measures are needed so that 90% of girls under 15 years old are vaccinated against HPV and 70% of women under 35 years old are screened for cervical cancer (illustrative photo)

Cervical cancer is caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). This disease is currently a major concern for global public health. In 2018, cervical cancer ranked 6th in the list of most common cancers among Vietnamese women, with 4,200 new cases and 2,420 deaths. A study on the effectiveness of HPV vaccination investment in Vietnam conducted by UNFPA in collaboration with the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Victoria University and the Daffodil Institute (Australia) shows that Vietnam can completely eliminate cervical cancer in the next 30 years if HPV vaccination is implemented for 90% of adolescent girls; 70% of women are screened for cervical cancer; and 90% of women with pre-cancer or cervical cancer receive adequate treatment. If HPV vaccination is combined with early screening and treatment, Vietnam could eliminate cervical cancer in just 29 years, sooner than if HPV vaccination alone were promoted. The study also estimated that $1 invested in cervical cancer prevention programs could yield economic benefits equivalent to $5 to $11, and this amount increases to about $8 to $20 if economic and social benefits are combined.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Thi Hong, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology: “The study has shown strong evidence of cost-effectiveness and benefits from investment, and at the same time provided progress in cervical cancer eradication in Vietnam. This scientific evidence is worth considering by the Government to allocate necessary resources for the development of optimal strategies for cervical cancer prevention and control in Vietnam.”

With the goal of eradicating the disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on all countries to take specific measures to ensure that 90% of girls under the age of 15 are vaccinated against HPV, 70% of women under the age of 35 are screened for cervical cancer using highly accurate tests, retested before the age of 45, and to ensure treatment for 90% of women detected with pre-cancer and 90% of women with invasive cancer by 2030.

T.LAM

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