Cervical Cancer Deaths in the Middle East May Double in 17 Years

Tunisia Center for Public Health advocates for the introduction of HPV vaccine and strengthening cervical cancer screening
man and woman sitting on a bench
(Precision Vaccinations News)

Cervical cancer fatalities may double in the Middle East and North Africa by 2035, unless young women receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, reported Reuters, on March 21, 2018.

“There is no public awareness about it,” Zied Mhirsi, co-founder of the Tunisian Center for Public Health Center, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“People, in general, don’t know there is an (HPV) vaccine.”

Mhirsi said that discussing sexually transmitted infections like HPV can be a “taboo” in conservative Muslim societies.

In light of the low cervical cancer screening rates and the absence of HPV vaccination, TunCPH advocates for the introduction of HPV vaccine in the Tunisian national immunization programme and strengthening of the cervical cancer screening effort.

But Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, has proven a regional leader by giving schoolgirls free vaccines for the past 10 years, Mhirsi said.

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has taken the lead towards cervical cancer elimination by administering the HPV vaccine to girls in school free of charge since 2008.

Cervical cancer is the second most fatal cancer for women in the region. Morocco was worst hit, with more than 2,000 cervical cancer deaths each year, Mhirsi said.

The TunCPH is predicting some 19,000 deaths in 2035, up from about 9,000 in 2012, without action.

HPV is among the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Most infections do not cause symptoms and go away on their own, but the virus is a leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide.

Separately, a research study published during February 2018, reported the HPV vaccine acceptability remains controversial, primarily because of the relationship between sexual activity and HPV infection.

This study examines the available epidemiological data as well as scholars’ perspectives to describe potential tensions that exist in middle eastern cultures around sexuality.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report human papillomavirus causes most cervical cancers.

Two screening tests can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early.

The Pap test is recommended for women between ages 21 and 65. If you are 30 years old or older, you may choose to have an HPV test and a PAP with more time between tests.

The CDC recommends HPV vaccinations for preteen girls and boys.

Teens who did not get the HPV vaccine or did not get all doses when they were younger, should speak with a doctor or pharmacist.

Additionally, the CDC approved a two-dose schedule for adolescents under age 15 instead of the traditional three-dose schedule. Teens starting at age 15 or later still need three doses.

The Gardasil 9 vaccine immunizes against nine genotypes of HPV known to cause cervical cancer, as well as vulvar, vaginal, and anal cancers and genital warts caused by HPV.

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides HPV vaccine prices for general information.

And vaccine discounts can be found here.

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects, says the CDC. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the FDA or CDC.

 

Our Trust Standards: Medical Advisory Committee

Share