Luanda — The First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço, on Tuesday in Luanda appealed for the collaboration of journalists, health professionals, parents, and community leaders in accurately disseminating information about cervical cancer vaccination.
She was speaking at the launch of the National Vaccination Campaign for Cervical Cancer Prevention for girls aged 9 to 12, the first phase which is to start from October 27th to November 7th.
According to Ana Dias Lourenço, access to accurate information will allow families to reflect, discuss, clarify doubts, and understand the issues at stake, with a view to protecting their daughters' future.
For this reason, she highlighted the important role of journalists in bringing accurate information to every home and community, to help families understand that this vaccine is safe, effective, free, and life-saving.
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"At a time when misinformation can generate fear and distrust, responsible journalism becomes a true act of public service", she said.
The First Lady added that she counts on the media professionals to explain, clarify, and raise awareness in Portuguese and other national languages, with rigor, empathy, and commitment so that no doubts remain and no girl in the target group goes unvaccinated.
To Ana Dias Lourenço, the contribution of media professionals is crucial to transforming this campaign into a national movement of trust, prevention, and hope.
The National Campaign Ambassador also called on healthcare professionals, teachers, and other properly trained mobilizers to listen to questions, clarify responses, and respond with empathy and knowledge.
She also called on Angolan women, as guardians of family health, to actively participate in this campaign and raise awareness of its success.
She added that social organizations, particularly women's organizations, both in cities and rural areas, are increasingly providing trust and mobilization as a crucial intervention to ensure all families understand the importance of this vaccine and accept prevention as a right and a guarantee of a healthy future.
Campaign
Ana Dias Lourenço emphasized that the government of Angola wants a transformative health campaign, based on strong multi-sectoral development, involving the entire structure of the central government, provincial governments, and municipal administrations committed to the well-being and future of the population.
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She explained that the campaign strategy is based on equity, with access to vaccination being limited by origin, social status, or place of residence, from north to south, from east to west of the country.
She emphasized that, initially, all girls in the target group, enrolled in public, public-private, and private schools, will be vaccinated, and later, girls outside the education system, using mobile vaccination equipment.
The First Lady also revealed that, in 2024, 235 cases were treated in the country, although the actual incidence is likely much higher due to diagnostic limitations.
"The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates indicate that, in Angola, more than two thousand adolescent women develop cervical cancer every year, and more than half lose their lives. These numbers underscore the urgency of effectively combating this public health problem", she said.
She stated that it is crucial that everyone understands the seriousness of cervical cancer, which has taken countless lives and caused harm to so many mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives, especially in Africa.
Ana Dias Lourenço emphasized that Angola is approved by the WHO's global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2050, one of the essential pillars of which is the vaccination of 90% of girls, a goal also established for the aforementioned campaign.
Starting in January 2026, the vaccine will be integrated into the national schedule, ensuring that all 9-year-old girls are vaccinated annually.
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