EVALUATION OF CERVICAL CANCER PREVENTION POLICIES IN EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Abstract

All over the world, cancer is a major public health burden. 19.3 million was the estimated number of new cases of cancer and nearly 10 million deaths from cancer globally [1,2]. Cancer burden is apparent all over the world; however, the low middle income countries (LMICs) have an upward prevalence in the number of new cases and deaths from cancer for example the Sub Saharan countries[3]. The occurrence of cancer is characterized by unregulated proliferation of cells after the failure of the mechanisms that regulate normal cell growth in so doing invading and destroying the tissues and organs that are adjacent then dissemination to the other parts of the body[4]. World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have enumerated obesity, alcohol consumption, family history of cancer, Human Papilloma Viruses (HPV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDs), lifestyle and tobacco smoking have been linked as the major risk factors for cancer[5,6]. Among the leading cancers that have been implicated to have a high morbidity and mortality worldwide in women of all ages are cancer of the breast, cancer of the lung and cancer of the cervix[7]. Inadequate primary health care, compromised screening procedures, delayed histology results, little or no resources, follow up hitches, lack of awareness and limited treatment opportunities have marred the diagnosis and detection of cancer in the developing countries hence the cancer is discovered late and at an advanced stage[8,9]. Ineffective implementation of policies for control of cancer, overwhelmed health demands and poor monitoring through population registries is a great contributor to the long term problem of cancer of the cervix facing sub-Saharan Africa(SSA)[10- 12]. This has been the typical picture in most of these developing regions[13]. In contrast, the incidence and mortality from cervical cancer have decreased in developed countries, attributable to organized and consistent cervical screening programs rather than opportunistic screening 11 programs and HPV vaccination [2], well-structured national health care systems, affordable high quality cancer treatment for all and prioritized health care spending hence the low mortality to incidence ratios[14].