Nairobi County Health Ministry has announced the launch a large-scale mobilisation of women for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) screening in collaboration with Becton, Dickinson and Company.
The screening which is expected to be conducted using BD’s newly Federal Drug Administration (FDA)-approved self-collection technology.
“Kenya faces significant challenges in meeting the World Health Organization’s cervical cancer elimination targets, which call for 70% of women between 35-45 years to be screened. Currently, only 17p of Kenyan women have ever undergone screening, leaving millions at risk. BD’s initiative aims to significantly boost these numbers by providing women with the tools and confidence to take charge of their health,” said Caitlin Asjes, BD Senior Global Director, Public Health.
The initiative which also includes the Ministry of Health, the National Cancer Institute of Kenya (NCI-K) and Healthstrat targets to raise awareness and improve access to cervical cancer screening for women in Nairobi, particularly in marginalised and underserved communities where the disease burden is highest.
According to the NCI-K, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Kenya, with an estimated 3,211 deaths annually. Globally, cervical cancer claims the lives of over 341,000 women every year, with 90pc of those deaths occurring in low- and lower-middle-income countries like Kenya.
“This is a significant milestone in the fight to eliminate cervical cancer in Nairobi and Kenya at large. The role of CHPs in reaching vulnerable populations is crucial to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and addressing health inequities in both urban and rural areas,” stated Dr. Irene Muchoki, Chief Officer Medical Services for Nairobi County.
The initiative also seeks to transform cervical cancer prevention in Kenya by empowering women to self-screen in a private, safe, and convenient setting, breaking down long-standing barriers to access.
Despite the availability of effective screening methods, efforts to combat the disease in vulnerable populations have been hindered by cultural stigmas, limited access to healthcare professionals, and infrastructural challenges.
“By working with Community Health Promoters, we continue to ensure that women can access the kits and crucial information to fight cervical cancer. Our mandate is to partner in executing the Ministry’s strategy, focusing on early detection and capacity building across the healthcare system,” added Dr Andrew Nyandigisi, CEO of Healthstrat.
BD’s innovative self-collection technology is backed to empower women to overcome stigma and logistical barriers to screening and eliminate cervical cancer.