The World Health Organisation (WHO) has commended Zambia for its proactiveness in tackling cancer. A delegation from the WHO led by Dr Bente Mikkelsen, Director of Non-Communicable Diseases recently visited Zambia to assess the nation’s efforts in managing cancer and identify avenues for bolstering support, particularly in cervical cancer initiatives.

During the visit, Dr Mikkelsen expressed satisfaction with Zambia’s efforts in managing cancer and commended the dedication of frontline healthcare workers and administrative staff, noting their crucial role in increasing vaccination for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) coverage and implementing screening programs essential for combating cervical cancer effectively.

She urged Zambian women to prioritise cancer screening and vaccination, highlighting that early intervention can significantly contribute to eradicating the disease.

“Notably, Zambia grapples with one of the most alarming rates of cervical cancer globally, making it imperative that proactive measures are swiftly implemented for its effective mitigation,” she emphasised.

Dr Mikkelsen stressed the global imperative of achieving and maintaining an incidence rate of below 4 per 100,000 women to eradicate cervical cancer effectively.

To achieve this ambitious goal, Dr Mikkelsen outlined the ’90-70-90′ targets to be attained by 2030: ensuring 90% of girls are fully vaccinated with the Human Papillomavirus HPV vaccine by age 15, targeting 70% of women for screening using high-performance tests by ages 35 and 45, and ensuring that 90% of women with pre-cancer receive treatment, along with 90% of women with invasive cancer receiving effective management.

Dr Mikkelsen emphasised that these targets are crucial in the global fight against cervical cancer, paving the way for its eventual elimination.

CIDRZ, with financial support from PEPFAR through CDC, continues to support the Ministry of Health in tackling crucial challenges towards eliminating cervical cancer in Zambia.