Why Cervical Cancer?

It is estimated that about eleven (11) women succumb to cervical cancer each day.  It is the second most common cancer in women, after breast. But why cervical cancer?  Cervical cancer is the ONLY cancer that can be almost entirely preventable, potentially curable if diagnosed early, and possibly be eliminated toward a cervical cancer-free future.

Recently the World Health Organisation announced its accelerated global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer.  The global strategy highlights three main points – vaccine, screening and treatment, also known as the 90–70–90 targets. The goal is to achieve: an increase of HPV vaccination to 90%, cervical screening of the total women population of 70%, and treatment of pre-invasive lesions and invasive cancer to 90% by 2030. In his welcome address, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus quotes, “Every year, we lose more than 300,000 women to a disease which is almost entirely preventable and potentially curable if diagnosed early. We have the tools to make cervical cancer history“. But despite this, why are we still losing a lot of women daily in our country?  

In 2001, the World Health Organization Survey reports, only 7.7% of our total women population aged 18 to 65 years underwent screening. This dismal show up coupled with the lack of symptoms experienced by most women during the precancer and early stages of disease are some of the main causes of the high incidence of cervical cancer in the Philippines. 

cerviQ is a social enterprise that focuses on cervical cancer awareness, prevention, early detection, referrals for treatment, and a data repository for comparative studies and research purposes. It serves as an efficient channel linking remote medical experts and vulnerable individuals via a digital platform facilitated by nurses/midwives in coordination with local leaders and community volunteers.