Sofiat Akinola: Strategies and challenges on eliminating cervical cancer
Sofiat Akinola, Director at Roche Diagnostics, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Bridging the Gaps in Cervical Cancer Prevention.
HPV vaccination is essential for preventing cervical cancer, but to truly eliminate this disease, we need robust, integrated programs that combine vaccination, screening, and treatment.
The challenge: Although HPV vaccination rates are high in Scotland, cervical screening rates have been declining.
In 2021/22, only 65.7% of women aged 25–49 were up to date with their screening, a decrease from the previous year. This overall rate hides significant disparities: in the most deprived areas, coverage drops to 61.2%, with some communities seeing rates as low as 55.8%.
This decline disproportionately affects underserved communities, increasing the risk of late diagnosis and poorer outcomes.
The opportunity: Screening plays a vital role in the early detection of cervical abnormalities.
We can enhance the screening program by addressing barriers like stigma and accessibility and exploring innovative approaches such as self-sampling. These initiatives, combined with vaccination and timely treatment, will help ensure equitable access to prevention and care.
Eliminating cervical cancer requires a collaborative approach to screening and treatment accessible to all.
What strategies have you seen that successfully expand access to screening?”
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