Did you know that nine women die of cervical cancer in Kenya daily yet the disease is preventable and treatable? A worrying trend that health experts say can be reversed by early cervical cancer screening, early treatment and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination for girls aged between 9-14 years.
Dr Dulcie Wanda, a Clinical and Radiation Oncologist at the Nakuru County Referral and Teaching Hospital says that most patients present themselves late when the disease has advanced limiting the treatment options.
“In Kenya, 5,845 new cervical cancer cases are reported annually and about 3591 deaths every year. The high mortality rate is due to late diagnosis, many women don’t go for cervical cancer screening and the HPV vaccine uptake remains low thus limited access to treatment,” she said.
Dr Wanda noted that most cancers at the beginning are asymptomatic, meaning there are no visible symptoms, until the disease has advanced.
“Some of the symptoms to look out for include abnormal vaginal bleeding, unusual vaginal discharge, painful sexual intercourse, in advanced disease one may experience backache, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, lower limb swelling, fatigue, and complications in bowel movements,” she explained.
January is observed as Cervical Health Awareness Month to encourage women be more attentive to their health so that they can detect any health issues at an early stage and get access to the best treatment.
Cervical health is often neglected by majority of women yet very vital. The theme for Cervical Cancer Awareness Month this year 2026 is “Empower the Storytellers,” which focuses on using the voices of survivors and advocates to promote prevention, screening, and early detection.
This theme emphasises that stories can save lives, shape policy, and reduce stigma. The colour of the month is teal- deep bluish-green colour, often paired with white.
Dr.Wanda urges women and girls to go for early screening so that the disease can be arrested even before the symptoms occur noting that the HPV vaccine is safe and effective.
“Cancer of the cervix is preventable, evidence has shown that HPV vaccination results in reduction of incidences of cancer of the cervix. WHO recommends HPV vaccination as a primary prevention strategy and HPV DNA testing as the preferred method for cervical cancer screening. HPV vaccination is safe, effective, and lifesaving . Parents and caregivers should ensure girls between 9-14 years are vaccinated. Kenya would like to get to a point where cancer of the cervix has been eradicated or is as rare as what is reported in the West,” she said.
Following a policy update, Kenya transitioned to a single-dose HPV vaccine schedule for the 10-14 age group to increase coverage. The vaccine is free of charge in public health facilities and some private hospitals.
Dr.Wanda also pointed out that there are advancements in cancer screening, HPV DNA, adding to traditional methods like Pap smear.
“HPV DNA testing is a modern, highly sensitive screening test that detects high-risk types of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the virus responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer. Rather than looking for cancer itself, the test identifies the presence of the virus long before cancer develops, allowing early action that can prevent disease and save lives,” she said.
She also noted that persistent infection with high-risk HPV, especially types 16 and 18, causes about 70% of cervical cancers worldwide.
“HPV DNA testing works by detecting the genetic material of these high-risk strains from a cervical sample. Because it identifies risk at a much earlier stage than traditional methods, it is more effective than the Pap smear in preventing cervical cancer. Dr. Wanda added that ‘the test is recommended as a primary screening method for women aged 30 to 65 years. Women living with HIV are advised to start screening earlier and to test more frequently because they are at higher risk of persistent HPV infection and faster progression to cervical cancer.”
WHO has established that HPV vaccine is safe for use and effective in prevention of cervical cancer and five other cancers which include head and neck cancer, vaginal and anal cancer, cancer of the vulvar, penile and oral cancer.
Dr Wanda noted that HPV affects both male and female, the reason some developed countries vaccinate both boys and girls against HPV.
“HPV vaccine is administered to ages 9-14 years because research shows that at this age, most have not experienced their first sexual debut, therefore prevents future cancer developments. HPV affects both boys and girls, men may not get cervical cancer but other cancers like penal, anal cancers, therefore vaccinating both genders reduces the transmission rate and prevents HPV related cancers,” she said.
WHO 90-70-90 targets for the global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030 proposes that 90% of girls be fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by age 15, 70% of women be screened using a high-performance test by 35 years of age and 90% of women identified with pre-cancer or cancer receive treatment.
Preventive interventions targeted towards desired groups are likely to have a greater impact with better outcomes. If everyone in the society plays their role, then women in Kenya and the world at large will not die of a disease, cervical cancer, which is preventable and treatable.
