Ms Jennifer Nelson, a Preventive and Occupational Health Management Expert has emphasised that cervical cancer remains one of the few cancers that is preventable, yet it continues to claim the lives of thousands of women each year.
Ms Nelson who is associated with the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult), therefore, called for coordinated action to combat cervical cancer through the nationwide expansion of HPV vaccination.
She explained that the primary cause of cervical cancer was the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common infection that could be neutralized with a safe and effective vaccine.
“When administered to girls between the ages of 9 and 14 before any exposure to the virus, the HPV vaccine provides long-lasting protection and dramatically reduces the risk of developing cervical cancer later in life.
“Despite its proven effectiveness, access to the vaccine remains uneven across many communities. Barriers such as limited public health infrastructure, inadequate awareness, cultural misconceptions, and insufficient outreach efforts have contributed to low vaccination rates, especially in rural and underserved areas.”
Ms Nelson spoke on “The urgency of expanding HPV vaccination across the country and the need for stronger collaboration to protect eligible girls” at the rejuvenated CDA Consult weekly health information dissemination platform dubbed “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility!
The CDA Consult weekly health information dissemination platform is an initiative aimed at promoting health-related communication and providing a platform for health information dissemination to influence personal health choices through improved health literacy.
CDA Consult is also collaborating with Lifeline Haven Company Limited and Caritas Christi Hospital at Ho, in the Volta Region, for consistent and relentless advocacy to make Ghana cervical cancer-free by 2030.
Ms Nelson, who is the Executive Director of Lifeline Haven Company Limited, encouraged collaboration among government agencies, local health authorities, schools, religious leaders, and civil society to support and scale up HPV vaccination programmes.
Mr Francis Ameyibor, CDA Consult Executive Director, stressed that stronger engagement and sustained advocacy were essential to ensure that eligible girls received the vaccine and were adequately protected.
He explained that expanding access to HPV vaccination not only reduced mortality but also eased long-term healthcare costs, lessened the emotional and financial strain on families, and contributed to healthier and more resilient communities.
“When women are protected from preventable diseases like cervical cancer, families and societies benefit from their continued contributions as caregivers, workers, and community leaders,” he stated.
Mr Ameyibor, who is a Healthy Lifestyle Advocate emphasised the need to push for comprehensive vaccination coverage that aligned with global health targets aimed at eliminating cervical cancer as a public health threat by 2030.
“Achieving this goal will require investments in public education, logistics, and service delivery, ensuring that no girl is left behind due to geography, income level, or lack of information.
“CDA Consult maintains that accelerating HPV vaccination efforts is a crucial step toward preventing needless suffering and saving lives and calls on all sectors of society to act with urgency and commitment,” Mr Ameyibor noted and called for support to make the objectives a reality.
Mr Ameyibor noted that CDA Consult and partners have rolled out a rentless advocacy campaign to combat cervical cancer in the country and also draw global attention to the slow pace in achieving the 2030 target and the need for scaling up the process.
The CDA Consult Executive Director explained that the Change Paradigm Advocacy campaign for free HPV vaccinations and scaling up prevention, detection, and treatment aimed at fast-tracking the processes to eliminate cervical cancer in Ghana.
Mr Ameyibor explained that early detection of cervical abnormalities through screening is a critical component of cervical cancer elimination.
He stated that CDA Consult, which is a development communication advocacy non-governmental organisation, will continue to rally stakeholders towards a relentless national advocacy campaign to battle cervical cancer.
He added that CDA Consult was working with health professionals, human rights advocates, gender activists, religion adherents, and communication practitioners towards the upscale goal of cervical cancer elimination in the country.
Mr Ameyibor acknowledged that progress has been achieved in spreading cervical cancer awareness; nonetheless, “as we approach the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal threshold for cervical cancer eradication, we need to scale up our efforts through a comprehensive national action involving both state and non-state actors.”
GNA
