Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), on Sunday, November 17, commended Rwanda for its commitment to eliminating cervical cancer before 2030.
His reaction came after Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) announced on Sunday that the country was committed to achieving the 90-70-90 targets for cervical cancer elimination by 2027, three years ahead of the WHO's global goal.
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These targets include vaccinating 90 per cent of girls against human papillomavirus (HPV) by the age of 15, screening 70 per cent of women with a high-performance test by the ages of 35 and 45 and ensuring 90 per cent of women who test positive for cervical cancer receive appropriate treatment.
"We welcome your announcement today that you plan to reach the 90-70-90 targets by 2027, three years ahead of schedule. Rwanda's progress demonstrates that these goals are achievable when we prioritise women's and girls' health," Dr. Tedros said on Sunday, as the world marked the Day of Action for Cervical Cancer Elimination.
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"Since introducing the HPV vaccine in 2011, Rwanda has reached vaccine coverage of 90 per cent. Already, in two districts - Gicumbi and Karongi - Rwanda is meeting those goals," the WHO chief said in an Op-Ed published by The New Times on Sunday.
"We have the tools and the opportunity to eliminate cervical cancer. Realising that opportunity requires determined political leadership," he added.
Rwanda has already achieved the first target by fully vaccinating 90 per cent of eligible girls.
Additionally, the country plans to introduce a single-dose HPV vaccine this year to further bolster its efforts.
Dr. Tedros also stressed the need for holistic approach to the cancer, saying, "We cannot rely on vaccines alone. To save lives now, we must match the increase in vaccination with increases in screening and treatment."
"These targets are not just aspirational; they are achievable, even in low- and middle-income countries. Bhutan has already reached the targets, the first to do so in the South-East Asia region. Nigeria, which introduced the HPV vaccine in October last year, has already vaccinated 12.3 million girls."
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Since WHO issued its global call to action in 2018, more than 60 countries have introduced the HPV vaccine into their immunisation programmes, bringing the total to 144 countries.
The largest provider of HPV vaccines to low- and middle-income countries, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, plans to vaccinate 120 million children between now and 2030.
