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

Published

1 year 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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Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria

Published

8 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.

He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.

“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.

“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.

“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.

DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

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IGP Orders Officers Display Name Tag On Uniform, Gives Update On State Police

Published

9 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Tunji Disu, has ordered all police personnel to always have their name tags on their uniforms for easy identification.

Disu disclosed that only police personnel who are undercover are exempted from displaying their name tags.

Speaking on Tuesday, Disu said: “All police officers should have their name tags. All of us on the high table have our names apart from the undercover among us so if you look at all the Commissioners of Police we have our name tags, so it’s not our standard.

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Court Orders SERAP To Pay DSS Operatives N100m For Defamation

Published

14 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has ordered a non-governmental organization, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, to pay N100 million as damaged to two operatives of the Department of the State Services, DSS, for unjustly defaming them in some publications.

The court also ordered SERAP to tender public apologies to the defamed officers,
Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, in two national newspapers, two television stations and its website.

Besides, the organization was also ordered to pay the two operatives N1 million as cost of litigation and 10 percent post-judgment interest annually on the judgment sum until it’s fully liquidated.

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory gave the order on Tuesday while delivering judgment in a N5.5 billion defamation suit instituted against SERAP by the DSS operatives.

The judge found SERAP liable for unjustly defaming the two DSS operatives with allegations that they unlawfully invaded its Abuja office, harassed and intimidated its staff, in September 2024.

In the offending publication on its website and Twitter handle, SERAP alleged that the two operatives unlawfully invaded and occupied its office with sinister motives.

The judge held that the publication was in bad taste especially from an organization established to promote transparency and accountability, as nothing in the publication was found to be truthful.

The DSS staff had listed SERAP as 1st defendant in the suit marked CV/4547/2024. SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, was listed as the 2nd defendant.

In the suit, the claimants – Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele – accused the two defendants of making false claims that they invaded SERAP’s Abuja office on September 9, 2024..

Counsel to the DSS, Oluwagbemileke Samuel Kehinde, had while adopting his final address in the mater urged the judge to grant all the reliefs sought by his client in the interest of justice.

He admitted that although the names of the two claimants were not mentioned in the defamation materials, they had however established substantial circumstances that they are the ones referred to in the published defamation article by SERAP on its website.

The counsel submitted that all ingredients of defamation have been clearly established and the offending publication referred to the two officials of the secret police.

However, SERAP, through its counsel, Victoria Bassey from Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, law firm, asked the court to dismiss the suit on the ground that the two claimants did not establish that they were the ones referred to in the alleged defamation materials.

She said that SERAP used “DSS officials” in the alleged offending publication, adding that the two claimants must establish that they are the ones referred to before their case can succeed.

Similar arguments were canvassed by Oluwatosin Adefioye who stood for the second defendant, adding that there was no dispute in the September 9, 2024 operation of DSS in SERAP’s office.

He said that since SERAP in the publication did not name any particular person, the claimants must plead special circumstances that they were the ones referred to as the DSS officials.

Besides, he said that there is no organization by name Department of State Services in law, hence, DSS cannot claim being defamed adding that the only entity known to law is National Security Agency.

The claimants had in the suit stated that the alleged false claim by SERAP has negatively impacted on their reputation.

The DSS also stated, in the statement of claim, that, in line with the agency’s practice of engaging with officials of non-governmental organisations operating in the FCT to establish a relationship with their new leadership, it directed the two officials – John and Ogunleye – to visit SERAP’s office and invite them for a familiarization meeting.

The claimants added that in carrying out the directive, John and Ogunleye paid a friendly visit to SERAP’s office at 18 Bamako Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja on September 9 and met with one Ruth, who upon being informed about the purpose of the visit, claimed that none of SERAP’s management staff was in the country and advised that a formal letter of invitation be written by the DSS.

John and Ogundele, who claimed that their interactions with Ruth were recorded, said before they immediately exited SERAP’s office, Ruth promised to inform her organisation’s management about the visit and volunteered a phone number – 08160537202.

They said it was surprising that, shortly after their visit, SERAP posted on its X (Twitter) handle – @SERAPNigeria – that officers of the DSS are presently unlawfully occupying its office.

The claimant added, “On the same day, the defendants also published a statement on SERAP’s website, which was widely reported by several media outfits, falsely alleging that some officers from the DSS, described as “a tall, large, dark-skinned woman” and “a slim, dark skinned man,” invaded their Abuja office and interrogated the staff of the first defendant (SERAP).

John and Ogundele stated that “due to the false statements published by the defendants, the DSS has been ridiculed and criticised by international agencies such as the Amnesty International and prominent members of the Nigerian society, such as Femi Falana (SAN)”.

“Due to the false statements published by the defendants, members of the public and the international community formed the opinion that the Federal Government is using the DSS to harass the defendants.”

They added that the defendants’ statements caused harm to their reputation because the staff and management of the DSS have formed the opinion that the claimants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation and are therefore, incompetent and unprofessional.

The claimants therefore prayed the court for the following reliefs: “An order directing the defendants to tender an apology to the claimants via the first defendant’s (SERAP’s) website, X (twitter) handle, two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard) and two national news television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television) for falsely accusing the claimants of unlawfully invading the first defendant’s office and interrogating the first defendant’s staff.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N5 billion as damages for the libellous statements published about the claimants.

“Interest on the sum of N5b at the rate of 10 percent per annum from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is realised or liquidated.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N50 million as costs of this action.”