Cervical cancer will be eradicated in England by 2040 thanks to a school vaccination program and more accessible screening, the head of the National Health Service promised today.
Amanda Pritchard will tell an NHS provider conference in Liverpool that England is one of the first countries in the world to make such a commitment to abolishing the death penalty within the next 20 years. Australia expects to become the first country in the world to eradicate the disease by 2035.
Libraries and sports centers will be among the buildings where more people will be vaccinated as officials seek to increase the number of women taking part in screening.
Around 3,200 women in the UK are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, rising to 2,700 in England, with around 850 deaths occurring – less than 1 per cent of all cancer deaths among women and men combined. Almost all cases are preventable.
Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of viruses that can be sexually transmitted and do not cause symptoms. About 13 high-risk HPV types are known to cause 99.7 percent of cervical cancer cases.
The HPV vaccine is given to boys and girls aged 12 to 13 years and to people at high risk of contracting HPV. Since September, children in the eighth group have received one dose of the vaccine instead of the two previously administered doses. The latest figures show that around 86.5 per cent of year 10 girls received a dose in 2021-22. For boys it is 81.5 percent.
Ms Pritchard said under the new plans, health and care staff would be supported to identify the people most in need of the vaccine by targeting and offering vaccinations in places where people study or socialize, such as libraries, public centers, places of recreation and sports.
The NHS is also working to increase the number of women attending cervical cancer screening appointments, ensuring those who do not attend receive reminders. Currently, a third of women do not accept their offer. The NHS is also expanding cervical self-collection pilots, allowing women to have cervical tests in the comfort of their own home.
Ms Pritchard said it was “really important to be able to set such an important, life-saving target”, adding that eradicating cervical cancer “would be an incredible achievement”.
She said: “Vaccination and screening are key tools, meaning we are one step closer to achieving this goal, and the NHS is already making it easier than ever for people to protect themselves and their families – whether during public activities in low-income areas.” income.” Use or extend the NHS app to ensure everyone has their vaccination history and booking options at their fingertips.
“As always, the public can play their part by coming forward for vaccinations and testing when invited – to achieve our goal of ending cervical cancer we need as many people as possible to take up this offer, so please don’t be shy.” could save your life.”
If cervical cancer is excluded, fewer than four women in 100,000 will develop the disease.
Miriam Deakin, director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, said: “Providing healthcare staff with the resources and training needed to implement these plans effectively is critical to success.” Regular cervical cancer screening is also critical.”
Cancer Research UK said it supports this target, but it can only be achieved through targeted action to increase HPV vaccination rates and reduce barriers to cervical cancer screening.
A spokesman for the Joe Cervical Cancer Foundation said: “By improving the effectiveness of cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccines, we can make cervical cancer a thing of the past.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.