World Cervical Cancer Day: UN Raises Alarm as Disease Kills A Woman Every 2 Minutes - Video

Every two minutes, a woman dies from cervical cancer, a largely preventable and treatable disease, the UN revealed on the first World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day, November 17. Despite its preventability, cervical cancer remains the fourth most common cancer in women globally, with about 660,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths in 2022.

The vast majority—90%—of these deaths occur in low-income countries due to limited access to HPV vaccination, screening, and treatment. Persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause, with women living with HIV at six times higher risk, the WHO reported.

The WHO emphasizes that cervical cancer can be eliminated through widespread vaccination, regular screening using high-performance tests, and timely treatment of pre-cancerous lesions. The global target, termed the 90-70-90 goals to be achieved by 2030, aims to vaccinate 90% of girls by age 15, screen 70% of women by ages 35 and 45, and treat 90% of women diagnosed with cervical disease. Bold collective action is urgently needed to eliminate cervical cancer and ensure health equity worldwide.