Preventable Cervical Cancer Kills A Woman Every Two Minutes, Says UN; Calls For Urgent Global Action

Cervical cancer cases continue to take its toll on women across the world. Every two minutes, a woman somewhere in the world dies of cervical cancer—a disease that is both treatable and largely preventable, United Nations issued a stark warning on the first official World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day on Monday.

The day, observed on November 17, was formally designated by the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly to draw attention to the urgent need for expanded access to HPV vaccination, high-quality screening, and timely treatment.

Marking the occasion, the UN, in a post on X, underscored the gravity of the situation: “Every two minutes, a woman dies from cervical cancer. Access to screening, vaccination and treatment is key to ending this preventable disease.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) reinforced this message, noting that cervical cancer can be averted through a combination of HPV vaccination, regular screening of women, and early treatment of pre-cancerous lesions.

According to WHO estimates, cervical cancer remains the fourth most common cancer among women globally, with 660,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths recorded in 2022 alone. The burden of the disease falls disproportionately on low- and middle-income countries, which account for nine out of 10 deaths, largely due to insufficient access to preventive services such as vaccination and screening.

Cervical cancer is caused by persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that is highly transmissible. Women living with HIV face a particularly high risk—they are six times more likely to develop cervical cancer than women without HIV. Despite this grim reality, experts emphasise that the disease is highly curable when detected early, and that preventive measures are among the most cost-effective in public health.

This year’s theme, “Act Now: Eliminate Cervical Cancer”, calls for decisive and coordinated global action to build on current progress. The WHO has set ambitious 90-70-90 targets for 2030: vaccinating 90% of girls against HPV by age 15; screening 70% of women with a high-performance test by ages 35 and 45; and ensuring 90% of women with cervical disease receive appropriate treatment.

With political commitment, community awareness and investment in health systems, health agencies believe that the world can move decisively towards eliminating cervical cancer as a public health threat. As the WHO noted, “Elimination is within reach if we act now, together—ensuring every girl is protected through HPV vaccination and every woman has access to prevention, screening, and care.”