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A cervical cancer elimination campaign, which seeks to support the government’s efforts to reach at least four million women and girls by 2027 in Kenya, has been launched.

The campaign will support efforts towards 90-70-90 cancer elimination goals, translated as an increase of Human Papillomavirus infection (HPV) vaccination of girls to 90 per cent, 70 per cent of women screened using a high-performance test and 90 per cent of women with pre-cancer treated and 90 per cent of women with invasive cancer managed, in line with World Health Organisation (WHO).

Against this backdrop, Roche, a Swiss industrial manufacturer of branded medicine and Kilele Health Association, a Kenyan based NGO, has signed an agreement to drive awareness and advocacy on cervical cancer prevention.

Kilele Health Association Executive Director Benda Kithaka regretted that many patients suffering from cancer are being diagnosed late, which brings great suffering to not just the individual family, community but also the economy.

“Kilele intends to change this by reaching out to communities with credible information on cancer, as well as screenings and vaccination campaigns to help downstage disease and make it easier and cheaper to treat,” she said during the launch of the campaign.