BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE– The Ministry of Health’s vision for the nation is to be a healthy and economically productive population that lives longer, healthier, and socially fulfilling lives.
This vision was revealed by the Minister of Health Head of Programme Xoli Dlamini, who said the Ministry works tirelessly to provide much needed high-quality health services to all EmaSwati.
This was during the media briefing that sought to sensitise guests on the status of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in the country.
HPV is an organism capable of causing cancers in the body. For the prevention of infection among certain populations the Government is in the process of introducing a vaccine in the country.
Dlamini said the Ministry of Health also acknowledges the financial support from the Health systems strengthening Human Capital Development in Eswatini Project in collaboration with the World Bank.
“In recent years, the ministry has observed a high number of cervical cancer cases and that our country is one of those leading in cervical cancer.
“Cervical cancer is a disease that is caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in the cervix. Research has shown that most of the cervical cancer cases are a result of Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection,” she said.
In addition, Dlamini said Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a family of DNA viruses that infect skin and mucosa sites through sexual contact.
According to the Internet and World Health Organisation (WHO), each virus in the group is given a number, which is called an HPV type.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi said since 2018, PEPFAR had invested E130 million in cervical cancer screening and treatment among women with HIV globally.
She said women living with HIV are six times more likely to develop precancerous lesions that advance to cervical cancer than women without HIV. And in sub-Saharan Africa, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women. “In the Kingdom of Eswatini, cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women ages 15 to 44 years old. And Eswatini has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the world. In October 2021, 341 of every 100 000 women in Eswatini were diagnosed with cervical cancer. Of these women, 217 died, resulting in a case fatality rate of 63 percent,” said the Minister.
