IN A pioneering effort to put an end to the deadly cervical cancer, which kills 12 Filipino women every day, a one-of-a-kind vaccination road show has been launched in the District 1 of Quezon City to combat human papillomavirus (HPV).
The 5-week initiative, which starts on July 9 and runs every Tuesday until August 6, is a first of its kind among local governments in the Philippines, aiming to bring essential immunization services directly to the community through an innovative mobile road show format.
By making vaccines accessible to hundreds of young girls in Quezon City with ages 9 to 14, the program — supported by the Quezon City government, Quezon City Health Office and barangay captains of District 1 — underscores the importance of preventive health care in reducing the incidence and impact of cervical cancer.
Quezon City District 1 Councilor Charm Ferrer, a cervical cancer survivor herself, leads the launching and underscores the importance of the fight against HPV.
"Cervical cancer can be prevented through vaccination and screening. By taking concerted action as one community against HPV, we can ultimately eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem," Ferrer says during the launch.
Global and national health burden
Cervical cancer remains a significant health burden, particularly in Asia, where it accounts for 58 percent of global deaths from the disease. In the Philippines alone, at least 12 women die daily from cervical cancer, making it the second most frequent cancer among women aged 15 to 44.
The financial and emotional toll on affected families and the broader community is immense. However, cervical cancer is a type of cancer that is highly preventable. The combination of HPV vaccination and cervical screening can provide the greatest protection against this disease.
Over 200 participants have attended the kickoff event, including representatives from various community organizations, barangay (villages) as well as city health departments, civil society groups and the private sector.
The HPV vaccination road show supports the Department of Health's fight against cervical cancer, which calls for collective action to protect every Filipino woman by making health care services and vaccines accessible to all communities.
Less than 100 adolescent girls have been vaccinated against and 31 female adults have been screened for cervical cancer during the program launch. The next legs of the HPV vaccination road show aims to vaccinate more students and continue to provide breast and cervical cancer screenings to adults.
The World Health Organization has set ambitious global targets to eliminate cervical cancer, including vaccinating 90 percent of girls with the HPV vaccine by age 15, screening 70 percent of women by ages 35 and 45, and ensuring 90 percent of women with precancer or invasive cancer receive appropriate treatment. Achieving these goals requires a multisectoral approach involving individuals, families, communities, civil society and government agencies.
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