Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Executive Director of CDA CONSULT, explained that in a bid to eliminate cervical cancer in Africa by 2030, African governments must prioritize holistic healthcare and implement mass Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes to combat the disease on the continent.

"It's time for Africa to come together and take concrete steps to eradicate it," Mr. Ameyibor stated during an engagement organized by CDA CONSULT in collaboration with a preventive health NGO, Lifeline Haven Company Limited, and Caritas Christi Hospital as part of activities to mark the 2025 Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, with Africa bearing a disproportionate burden. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 70,000 cervical cancer deaths could be averted annually in Africa if efforts to eliminate the disease are intensified.

Mr Ameyibor commended 29 African countries for incorporating HPV vaccination into their national vaccination programmes, but expressed frustration over the slow pace of efforts to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030.

He challenged the remaining African countries to treat the issue with urgency and trigger the necessary legal and policy reforms to ensure HPV vaccination becomes part of their national immunization systems.

The CDA CONSULT Executive Director stressed that to achieve the goal of eliminating cervical cancer in Africa by 2030, there was an urgent need to upscale HPV vaccination, improve cervical cancer screening, strengthen healthcare systems, and promote awareness and education.

Mr. Ameyibor emphasized the importance of collective action, saying, "We must work together to eliminate cervical cancer in Africa. Governments, healthcare providers, and communities must prioritize this issue and take concrete steps to prevent, detect, and treat cervical cancer."

He explained that CDA CONSULT, in collaboration with partners, had launched a five-year advocacy project aimed at lobbying the government to make HPV vaccination free in Ghana.

The project also seeks to create awareness about cervical cancer and promote holistic healthcare approaches.
It called on both international and local companies to support CDA CONSULT in attaining its goals.

He said as part of its five-year advocacy plan, CDA CONSULT has rolled out a comprehensive cervical cancer awareness programme across Ghana, which includes conducting cervical cancer awareness workshops in all 16 regional capitals and extending the awareness advocacy to about 60 percent of district capitals.

Mr. Ameyibor, who is a development communication advocate, stressed that the CDA CONSULT would also organize workshops for health professionals on holistic healthcare approaches to cervical cancer prevention, detection, and treatment and train media practitioners on sensitive health reporting to promote accurate and stigma-free coverage of cervical cancer issues.

He said these initiatives aim to educate communities, healthcare providers, and media practitioners about cervical cancer, its causes, symptoms, and prevention strategies.
He also stressed the need to increase access to HPV vaccination, particularly for girls and women in rural and underserved areas, and enhance screening programmes to detect cervical cancer early, when it is more treatable.

"Build robust healthcare systems that can provide comprehensive care, including prevention, detection, and treatment of cervical cancer, and educate communities about cervical cancer, its causes, symptoms, and prevention strategies.

"By working together and adopting a multi-faceted approach, Ghana and Africa can make significant strides in eliminating cervical cancer and save thousands of lives.

"By promoting awareness, improving healthcare services, and encouraging sensitive media reporting, CDA CONSULT hopes to contribute significantly to eliminating cervical cancer in Ghana and beyond," Mr Ameyibor stated.