Vaccine to Help Prevent Cervical Cancer Available in Morocco

Rabat – The Moroccan Association of General Practitioners Sonographers (AMECHO) organized on March 13 in Casablanca an open day to raise awareness of cervical cancer.

The Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences (UM6SS) collaborated with the pharmaceutical MSD (Merck Sharp and Dohme) to raise awareness among medical professionals about the prevention, screening, and early care of cervical cancer, indicated the association and UM6SS joint press release.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women after breast cancer in terms of frequency and mortality rate, according to the press statement. The cancer prevention and control plan developed by the Lalla Salma Foundation in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health prioritizes cervical cancer prevention.

The WHO reports that 99% of cases of cervical cancer are linked to an infection with the Human Papilloma Viruses (HPV), a very common virus that spreads through sexual contact.

The Ministry of Health has planned the introduction of the vaccine against HPV, the leading cause of the development of precancerous and cancerous lesions of the cervix, added the press release.

“We are organizing this day in order to raise awareness among healthcare professionals about cervical cancer, but above all about the importance of vaccination. Cervical cancer is today the only cancer that can be prevented through vaccination, so it is the most important weapon in the fight against this cancer,” said Abdellatif Achibet, president of the AMECHO.

“Access to this vaccine is possible in the private sector and will soon be in the public sector, and we must all join our efforts in order to contribute to the elimination of this disease,” he added.

Chakib Nejjari, the President of the UM6SS, said he was “delighted to host this scientific event on the premises of the University and to raise awareness among the medical profession about cervical cancer.”

The Moroccan Epidemiologist Jaafar Heikel, a specialist in infectious diseases and health economics, noted the importance of mobilizing health professionals, and general practitioners in particular, and raising their awareness of the dangers of cervical cancer.

This day provided an opportunity to assess the epidemiological situation, present the most recent statistics, and discuss the impact of cervical cancer in Morocco. They also shared the most recent data about its origins, as well as current diagnostic and treatment tools.

The event emphasized the significance of the protocol recently adopted by the Moroccan Ministry of Health, which focuses on three components: vaccination, safeguarding, and treatmenting cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer occurs in the cells of the cervix, specifically the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. High-risk types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), particularly types 16 and 18, most commonly cause cervical cancer, according to the European Cancer Information System (ECIS).

Current vaccines are highly effective in preventing infections with HPV types 16 and 18. Effective safeguarding methods exist to detect precancerous wounds of the cervix.

“In 2020, an estimated 604,237 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer globally, representing 6.5% of all female cancers. Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women in 36 low-and middle-income countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Cervical cancer killed an estimated 341,843,” the Together For Health organization reports.