A large-scale free and anonymous cervical cancer screening campaign will take place throughout March at the Yaounde University Hospital Centre (CHU). This initiative, launched by the Mfoundi Departmental Delegation for Social Affairs in partnership with the Geneva University Hospitals, aims to strengthen prevention and combat this disease, which remains a major cause of mortality among women.
The operation will be held every working day, Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m.. It is not limited to simple screening, but also includes comprehensive and free medical care, covering the diagnosis and treatment of precancerous lesions. This comprehensive approach is essential to ensure adequate follow-up and increase the chances of recovery.
This campaign is primarily aimed at Social Affairs staff, associations of disabled and internally displaced women, women from local families and communities, and anyone interested in this public health action. The heads of the Mfoundi Operational Technical Units are mobilized to widely disseminate information to their teams, partner administrations, and within places of worship and schools, in order to ensure massive participation.
Cervical cancer is a major public health problem in Cameroon, where it is one of the leading causes of death among women. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide, with a high number of deaths recorded each year, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In 2022, there were an estimated 2,525 new cases of cervical cancer in Cameroon, resulting in 1,837 deaths. Initiatives such as this screening campaign are therefore crucial to reverse this trend and improve the health of Cameroonian women. The Pasteur Centre of Cameroon is also conducting screening campaigns.
Indeed, Cameroon is committed to the WHO's global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030, which is based on three pillars: vaccination, screening and treatment. The goal is to achieve 90% vaccination of young girls, 70% screening of women and 90% treatment of precancerous lesions and invasive cancers.
