The Department of Health is seriously considering introducing two vaccines in the public sector to prevent new cases of cervical cancer.
It has to find the resources needed for the introduction of these vaccines. It also needs to do cost benefit analysis and decide which of the two vaccines would be more beneficial to the country.
The two Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines have been registered in South Africa and are presently available in the private sector. One vaccine is a bivalent targeting cervical cancer only and the other with a quadrivalent targeting both cervical cancer as well as the genital warts.
80% of the estimated 500 000 annual cases of cervical cancer occurs in developing countries. In South Africa, there is a one in 40 chance of women contracting cervical cancer in their lifetime. The disease is common among women with HIV.
South Africa has a strong academic and resource base to enable the department to establish an effective cervical cancer prevention, screening and treatment programme.
Initial discussions have been conducted with academia including clinicians, researchers that would form an overarching advisory group with the aim of providing evidence based direction to the department.
The department is also planning to review the national cancer control programme before the end of the year. This review will provide the department with a clear direction on improvements that are needed to achieve optimal quality care.
The department also needs an effective national cancer registry. Regulations to strengthen reporting are being finalised. This is a useful tool for planning and budgeting for activities that are aimed at the prevention and treatment of cancers.
“We are confident that these two initiatives will help us provide an effective, affordable and sustainable cancer control programme. We call upon more role players including our parliamentarians, the civil society and developmental partners to support us to consolidate an affordable and sustainable programme,” said Deputy Minister of Health Dr Molefi Sefularo.
“Given our resource constraints, we need to carefully plan the basket of services that we provide and gradually increase this package of services. At the same time, we need to ensure that quality does not decline. We also need to strengthen social mobilisation and advocacy to educate girls and women about the benefits of screening for cervical cancer,” said Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.
In 2004, South Africa set itself a target of screening about 70 percent of the target population of 30 years and above within a period of 10 years, which would translate to 5,922 991 women. By June 2009, almost midway to the envisioned target for 2014, the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) has presently handled 2 101 313 which is almost 50 percent of the target. The department still needs to disaggregate the data to differentiate the screening coverage from the diagnostic figures.
The Department of Health released this information at the third Cervical Cancer Africa Conference, which ended late yesterday in Cape Town. Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Health/women’s affairs, parliamentarians, researchers and scientists, advocacy groups and the first ladies of Africa, including South Africa, attended the conference. Discussions and deliberations took place at the conference provided consensus and way forward on how to manage cervical cancer.
Enquiries:
Charity Bhengu
Cell: 079 087 2438
Issued by: Department of Health
22 July 2009
