Cervical cancer is preventable. Most Ugandan women are never screened.

Cervical cancer kills more women in Uganda than any other cancer. That is the hard part of the sentence. Here is the other part: it is among the most preventable cancers there is. We know what causes it, there is a vaccine against that cause, and there is a simple screening test that finds the changes in the cervix years before they ever become cancer.

The gap between those two facts is made up almost entirely of women who were never screened.

Where it comes from

Nearly all cervical cancer is caused by HPV — human papillomavirus — a very common infection passed through sexual contact. Most people who get HPV clear it on their own without ever knowing they had it. In some women it persists, and over many years it slowly changes the cells of the cervix.

That slowness is the opportunity. The changes take years to become cancer. If they are found while they are still just changes, they can be treated simply, in one visit, and the cancer never happens.

Screening: what it involves

The common method here is a visual inspection, where a clinician applies a mild vinegar solution to the cervix and looks for areas that change colour. It takes a few minutes, does not require a laboratory, and gives a result the same day. In some settings an HPV test is used instead.

It is not painful, though it can be a little uncomfortable. It is done privately, by a female clinician if you prefer, and we will tell you what we are doing before we do it.

Women should generally begin screening from around age 25, or earlier if they are living with HIV, and repeat it at intervals your clinician will advise. Women living with HIV are at considerably higher risk and should be screened more often.

The vaccine

The HPV vaccine is given to girls in Uganda from around age 10, before any exposure, which is when it works best. It is available through the national immunisation programme.

If you have a daughter approaching that age, this is one of the clearest decisions in medicine. Ask us about it, or ask at any health centre.

What to watch for

Early changes cause no symptoms at all — which is exactly why screening matters. See a clinician promptly if you notice bleeding between periods, bleeding after sex, bleeding after menopause, unusual discharge with a bad smell, or persistent pelvic pain.

These symptoms have many causes, most of them not cancer. But they should be looked at rather than waited out.

A word about fear

We know that for many women the barrier is not information. It is fear of what might be found, or discomfort at the examination, or not wanting to go alone.

Bring someone with you. Ask for a female clinician. Ask us to stop at any point. Whatever we find, finding it early is what makes it treatable — and in the great majority of screenings, we find nothing at all.

Speak to our front desk or send us a WhatsApp message to arrange a screening.