Cervical Cancer Awareness Month 2023

We can end Cervical cancer: Get informed, Get Screened , Get vaccinated

Report by:Haffiya Elyas

Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in Sudanese Women; breast cancer forms between 29 – 35% of female cancers while Ca Cervix forms 12 – 16%. There are limited screening activities in the country using VIA, and Pap smears in Obs. and Gyn. clinics. With the main emphasis on health education programs, teaching women the early symptoms of ca cervix and early detection. Due to lack of awareness the majority of women don’t know anything about screening, so there is limited demand.

According to a research conducted by Nazik Elmalaika Husain, Amira Burhan, and Nazik Hammad , they revealed that,
Women’s cancers in Sudan remain a neglected public health problem, especially cervical cancer. With no current programme for HPV vaccination nor coordinated screening and cancer management efforts, Sudan remains significantly behind in achieving the global strategic goals by 2030 to be on the path to cervical cancer elimination.

Sudan’s government should urgently implement a broad public health strategy to improve outcomes for women with cancer.

The cancer control plan should be aligned with international, evidence-based recommendations and adapted to the local circumstances. It should strengthen health literacy, augment different health care interventions, including vaccination, committed screening programmes, early detection and proper diagnosis of symptomatic cases, a programmatic approach to active management and palliative care and ensure robust referral pathways. Services must be comprehensive and coordinated at each step.

The attempt should consider overcoming the existing challenges and making the most available opportunities. Other strategies should include fostering research and strengthening collaboration between stakeholders, especially between academia and MOH. In addition, Sudan must forge more effective relationships with international health agencies that align with the epidemiology of disease and Sudan’s geopolitical situation,as they said .

In an overview of Cervical cancer prevention services in Khartoum State in December 2018 Amira Burhan revealed that based on the qualitative interviews, Khartoum Oncology Hospital is the only specialized center providing chemotherapy and radiotherapy services for the state. Although six screening and nine diagnostic centers were surveyed, services were not available in most localities.

Cervical cancer prevention still remains a highly unaddressed need in Sudan. Sustainable financing of robust programs is necessary to achieve elimination. Contextually relevant devices must be selected to improve resource allocation. These results might be useful for the establishment of cervical cancer control in Sudan , Amira added .