Health officials say cervical cancer can be eliminated by 2040
Vicky Phelan successfully campaigned to ensure that more girls and boys could have access to the HPV vaccine. Picture: Naomi Gaffey
Babies born today will not have to worry about contracting cervical cancer, according to health officials who are aiming to eliminate it as a public health risk by 2040.
Cervical cancer kills 90 women a year in Ireland but health figures say it can be eliminated within two decades through a series of targeted policies.
In Britain, the NHS this week set the same target.
“We can now say that babies born today will reach adulthood in an Ireland where we expect to have eliminated cervical cancer,” Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said.
Irish women who have died from cervical cancer, including Vicky Phelan and Laura Brennan, campaigned tirelessly for greater protections through cervical screening and HPV vaccines which target the virus causing most cervical cancers.
In the next 17 years, health authorities plan to double down on this, including increasing HPV vaccination rates for girls under 15 from 80% to the World Health Organization (WHO) target of 90% by 2030.
The vaccine is also available for boys.
They plan to maintain high rates of cervical screening (at or above 73%) and women receiving treatment within the first year of diagnosis (97%).
Women may also be able to access self-testing kits for HPV.
About 300 women here are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually.
The Department of Health said: “The WHO defines elimination of cervical cancer as fewer than four cases per 100,000 women. This would make cervical cancer rare, reducing the number of cases to the extent that it would no longer be a public health problem.”
However, it does not mean there will be no cases, which is why preventative measures remain important.
The 2040 target was modelled using data on HPV vaccination rates, screening coverage, and population.
Mr Donnelly described HPV vaccination as “a game-changer” in this, along with switching to HPV cervical screening in 2020.
“I extend my gratitude to all involved in the delivery of screening, vaccination, and treatment services, to our passionate patient advocates, and to all the partnership stakeholders for their commitment in working together towards elimination,” he said.
HSE chief clinical officer Colm Henry said it was “a landmark day”, and praised campaigners such as Ms Brennan and her family for their “selfless work”.
“Their actions serve as an inspiration to all of us to ensure that the programme benefits as many people as possible,” he said.
“We have seen a marked decline in the number of people with cervical cancer since the introduction of our cervical screening programme in 2008 and recent research shows the positive impact the HPV vaccine has had in reducing the rate of serious pre-cancer cervical disease.
HSE cervical cancer elimination strategy group head Caroline Mason Mohan said equal access to these measures is a priority.
WHO regional director for Europe Dr Hans Henri P Kluge also congratulated Ireland’s progress.
