The stakeholder meeting for cancer held by the Department of Health had discussions focused on cervical cancer.
According to the president of Obstetrics & Gynecology Association, Port Moresby General Hospital, Dr. Mary Bagita, said that cervical cancer is a great risk especially with women living in rural areas.
Globally about 500,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer, and stated that in 2020 female deaths from breast cancer was 685,000, cervical cancer 340,000, ovarian cancer 207,000, endometrial cancer 97,000, and maternal deaths 303,000.
Over a 10-year period, the total admission at Port Moresby General would make the highest as miscarriage, second most common is gynecology cancers which holds 15 percent of all admissions, cervical cancer accounts for two third of the gynecology admissions.
Dr. Bagita stated that their goal along the years is to achieve and educated population, vaccination for all girls, a sustainable, cost-effective, single-step ‘screen & threat’ program with wide (rural) coverage and a reduction in cervical cancer incidence and mortality.