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OPINION:HPV Testing, A Catalyst For Women’s Empowerment

Published

8 months ago

February 6, 2025

An old proverb from the Congo says, “A mother is like a kernel, crushed by problems but strong enough to overcome them”. Throughout Africa, mothers, sisters – the continent’s primary caregivers – are expected to be strong. Indeed, their resilience is the glue that holds our families and economies together. Yet, women in the African Region are more vulnerable to many more life-threatening diseases and health conditions than women in other regions.

Among these illnesses is cervical cancer (caused by HPV – the Human Papillomavirus), which remains the leading cause of death in women in Sub-Saharan Africa – even though it is preventable. January, marking Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, comes around every year – and every year, we move closer to the WHO (World Health Organization) 2030 “90-70-90” cervical cancer elimination targets.

That is, 90% of girls fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine; 70% of women screened with a high-performance test by age 35 and again at 45; and 90% of women identified with cervical disease receiving treatment (90% of women with invasive cancer managed). We still have a long way to go.

The economic case for investment in HPV screening

With fewer than five years left to achieve the 90-70-90 targets, we’re in a race against the clock. To make the case for urgent action for African women’s health, let’s consider that none of us exists in a vacuum. A cycle of cause and effect starts in the smallest corners of our communities and escalates to the most significant factors influencing our economies.

When a family’s primary caregiver or breadwinner becomes a casualty of cervical cancer, an entire family system collapses. According to estimates, for every 100 mothers who die from cervical or breast cancer in resource-poor settings, 14 children die before their 10th birthday, and 210 become maternal orphans.

As a young physician serving in rural communities in my home country, Kenya, I observed the cycle firsthand. Children left behind suffer enhanced exposure to malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia or even malnutrition because their mother is not there to care for them. Beyond the awful tragedy this represents for good, hardworking people, this also perpetuates a domino effect that trickles down to local economies.

In Africa, women comprise an estimated 50% of the agricultural sector labour force, power over 50% of all SMEs (as per IFC data), and support families (African Development Bank). Valuable members of our communities, their children and their families are at risk. These are all potentially valuable contributors to our society and economy. Logically, for Africa to realise its full economic potential, we must prioritise women’s health.

Ending the cycle

There are currently two methods of testing; the traditional method is a pap smear, which many women will be familiar with. In addition to its low sensitivity and need to be conducted more often, the method leaves many women feeling embarrassed or vulnerable during the sample collection process. However, a second option empowers women to avoid the perceived indignity of a pap smear. This relatively recent innovation is the HPV-DNA testing with the self-collection kit – now available from many healthcare providers.

According to the WHO, self-collection has proved to be as reliable as samples collected by healthcare providers. The most significant benefit of self-collection is that once the self-collection kit has been picked from your nearest healthcare facility, sample collection can be done in the privacy of your home. Lancet and other participating laboratories provide lists of local locations where kits are available.

Currently, lack of access to national HPV screening, vaccination, testing and treatment programmes as well as lack of education and social and economic inequities, prevent women from taking their cervical health into their own hands, leaving many at risk. We can change this.

Partnerships powering progress

Governments and policymakers worldwide are becoming more committed to prioritising diagnostics. This commitment was bolstered by the 2022 adoption of the WHO Resolution on Strengthening Diagnostics Capacity by participating member states at the World Health Assembly.

The Resolution prompts government stakeholders to drive equitable access to diagnostics, ultimately driving universal healthcare for all people. To accomplish the WHO goals, however, we need a collective effort – from our communities, the private and public sectors, healthcare practitioners and anyone else who can make the time to have the necessary conversations about HPV.

Cervical cancer doesn’t just impact the individual—it affects entire communities. In low and middle-income countries, the financial burden of late-stage treatment falls heavily on families and national healthcare systems. Advanced treatments like chemotherapy are costly and often unattainable for many, driving households into poverty.

By contrast, early diagnosis through HPV testing alleviates these financial pressures. It reduces the cost of treatment, eases the strain on overburdened healthcare systems and enables women to remain active contributors to their families and the economy.

When women thrive, so do the communities they support. Early testing for HPV is the open “secret weapon” – and our roadmap to 90-70-90.

By Dr Allan Pamba, Executive Vice President, Diagnostics, Africa at Roche Diagnostics.

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VIDEO: Why I’ve Never Tried Convincing My Christian Wife To Convert To Islam — Tinubu

Published

6 hours ago

October 4, 2025

Editor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained why he has never attempted to convince his wife, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, to convert to Islam, stressing his belief in love, religious freedom, and mutual respect among people of different faiths.

Speaking on Saturday at the funeral service of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwada, Tinubu said his marriage to a Christian pastor has never created any conflict in their home.

The president, who arrived in Jos, Plateau State around 2 p.m. for the ceremony at the COCIN headquarters church, said he inherited Islam from his family and has always upheld the principle of freedom of religion.

He noted that both he and the First Lady serve the same God and would ultimately be answerable to Him, adding that what matters most are people’s deeds, character, and love for others.

Tinubu urged Nigerians to embrace tolerance and peaceful coexistence, emphasising that hate should never have a place in the country.

He also prayed for the repose of the soul of the late Lydia Yilwada and asked God to grant comfort and blessings to those she left behind.

He said, “Hate is not an option for us. Love is what you preach, that we should love one another.

“Nobody, nobody determines what God has ordained. God’s ordained action and his promises are what matter. I inherited Islam from my family. I didn’t change. But my wife is a pastor. She prays for me.

“No conflict. And I never did at any single time try to convince her or convert her. I believe in the freedom of religion.

“We are praying to the same God. We are answerable to the same almighty God. We will answer to him. We will account to him. Our deeds, our character, our love for our fellow beings are what are important.

“May the almighty accept the soul of Lydia and give all that she left behind blessings and glory, so we say, may her soul rest in peace.”

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UK Police Quiz Six After Fatal Synagogue Attack

Published

9 hours ago

October 4, 2025

Editor

Six people arrested on suspicion of “terrorism”-linked offences after a fatal car-ramming and knife attack on a UK synagogue remained in police custody on Saturday, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged people not to take part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Two people were killed and three others seriously wounded in Thursday’s attack in northwestern Manchester on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Police shot dead the assailant, Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old UK citizen of Syrian descent, within minutes of the alarm being raised.

Three men and three women are in custody.

The attack has heightened fear among Britain’s Jewish community.

Police said they were patrolling places of worship across the city “with a particular focus on providing a high-visibility presence within our Jewish communities”.

The attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in north Manchester was one of the worst antisemitic incidents in Europe since the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel led by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive on the Gaza Strip has killed at least 66,288 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures in the occupied territory that the United Nations considers reliable.

The Gaza conflict has inflamed passions in Britain, with frequent pro-Palestinian rallies in cities that some critics allege have stoked antisemitism.

A “global movement for Gaza UK” protest went ahead in London late on Thursday, with police making 40 arrests.

London’s Metropolitan Police asked organisers delay another planned demonstration backing the banned Palestine Action group later on Saturday.

However, organisers Defend Our Juries rejected the calls.

A spokesman said the group “stood in solidarity” with the Jewish community over the attack.

– Accidental shooting –

Starmer urged protesters not to join the pro-Palestinian rally.

“I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews. This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain,” he said on X.

During the attack, Shamie was seen “with a big knife, banging his knife into the glass, trying to get through”, synagogue chairman of trustees Alan Levy, who helped barricade the doors, told ITV News.

“The heroes of the congregation who saw what was happening then came to the doors because he was trying to break the doors down to get in,” he added.

A UK police watchdog, meanwhile, said it would look at the police shooting of Shamie.

The probe would also look at the shooting of a second victim who suffered a fatal gunshot and a third person who was shot but survived.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said there was no evidence anyone other than police used firearms at the scene.

“Our independent investigation will look at the circumstances surrounding the fatal police shooting of Jihad Al-Shamie,” it said in a statement.

“A post mortem has today (Friday) concluded another man who died at the scene suffered a fatal gunshot wound.”

IOPC investigations are standard practice in situations where the use of force by police may have resulted in the death of a member of the public.

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Edo Inaugurates Committee On Drug Abuse, Healthy Living

Published

12 hours ago

October 4, 2025

Editor

L-R: ACGN, NDLEA, Fidelis Cocodia, Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon. Dennis Idahosa and Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edo State, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani during the Inauguration

Edo State Government has inaugurated Drug Control Committee for the state and local governments, aimed at curbing the menace of drug abuse in the state.

Inaugurating the committee, Governor Monday Okpehbolo said the committee was not only saddled with the responsibility of curbing the menace of illicit substances, but to promote healthier living across communities in the state.

Represented by his deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Okpebholo described the initiative as “a vital step in our unwavering commitment to stopping the menace of drug trafficking and substance use among youths.”

The governor, who bemoaned the rising tide of drug dependency and its impact on society, pointed out that the committee’s creation aligns with the national drug master plan and represents a bold stride toward protecting Edo future generations.

On his part, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, represented by ACGN, Fidelis Cocodia, Zonal Commander, Zone 13, emphasised grassroots interventions, awareness campaigns, and support systems as the backbone of the fight against drug abuse.

Edo State commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju disclosed that while national drug use prevalence stands at 14.4 percent, Edo state surpasses the average at 15 percent.

He noted that the state is one of the hardest-hit states in the country, warning that the trend has fueled crime and heightened youth vulnerability.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole pledged to make Edo a model in drug control through rehabilitation, youth enlightenment, and second-chance opportunities for recovering addicts.

Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edo State, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, described drug abuse as a pandemic, noting that “you hardly see a crime without drugs being involved.”

She added that women’s empathy and influence must be harnessed in the campaign against drug abuse.