Rabat – Morocco has seen a steady decline in cervical cancer cases in recent years, reflecting the impact of strengthened public health policies, Health and Social Protection Minister Amine Tahraoui said Monday.
Speaking in the House of Representatives during a session on combating cervical cancer, Tahraoui noted that the disease now ranks fourth among cancers affecting women, representing 6.5% of cases with an incidence of 8.3 per 100,000 women.
This marks a significant improvement from previous years when cervical cancer ranked second, with a rate of 12.8% and an incidence of 13.46 per 100,000 women.
The minister noted that the results demonstrate the effectiveness of Morocco’s national cancer strategy, which has made combating cervical cancer a key priority.
Integrated into the National Cancer Control Plan 2020-2029, the strategy aligns with the country’s international commitments and World Health Organization (WHO) guidance to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat.
Tahraoui outlined three main pillars of the approach. The first focuses on prevention, including the introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the national immunization program in 2022, supported by awareness campaigns to educate women about the risks and prevention measures.
The second pillar emphasizes early detection. A nationwide screening program targets women aged 30 to 49, covering 61 prefectures and provinces and reaching approximately 500,000 women annually. The effort is reinforced by a network of 59 reproductive health reference centers.
The third pillar addresses treatment, with over 1,000 precancerous cases managed each year and specialized care provided through 12 regional oncology centers, alongside two reference hubs in the university hospitals of Rabat and Casablanca, following updated national treatment protocols.
Tahraoui stressed that this integrated strategy, combining prevention, screening, and treatment, has led to measurable results, improving survival rates and chances of recovery.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to sustaining these initiatives and emphasized that vaccination represents a scientifically supported, responsible public health choice.
