KUCHING: The state government is aiming to eradicate cervical cancer in Sarawak by 2030, through the KASIH Keluarga: Sarawak Cervical Cancer Screening Campaign.
This collaborative initiative between the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) and the Sarawak State Health Department (JKNS) offers free human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA screening until the year’s end at any LPPKN clinics and government clinics across Sarawak.
Speaking at the launching ceremony at Wisma SABATI today, Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian underscored the significance of the programme in offering a genuine chance to eliminate cervical cancer in the state.
“We are all familiar with the various statistics and treatments related to cervical cancer in Sarawak, such as Sarawak having the highest rate of cervical cancer in Malaysia.
“However, by following the strategic initiative outlined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), we aim to eliminate cervical cancer in Sarawak by 2030,” he said.
Dr Sim, who is also the Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, outlined the three pillars of the cervical cancer elimination initiative of the programme, which are vaccination, screening, and treatment.
“The first pillar is vaccination, in which we are aiming for 90 per cent coverage of HPV vaccination among young girls aged 12 and 15.
“The second pillar involves continuous screening, we want 70 per cent of women to undergo high-performance tests at the ages of 35 and 45, as vaccinated individuals can still contract the virus.
“The third pillar emphasises treatment, and we are aiming to have 90 per cent of women with precancerous HPV in Sarawak to be treated and managed,” he explained.
To this end, he urged the public to utilise the facilities prepared by the government, to come forward and take part in screening.
“This effort is to increase the awareness of all parties, especially women, about the importance of early screening to detect cervical cancer so that prevention and treatment measures can be done accordingly for those in need,” he said.
The KASIH Keluarga: Sarawak Cervical Cancer Screening Campaign is targeting 12,000 women in Sarawak to undergo the HPV DNA test.
In Sarawak, a total of 4,599 women in the state have come forward to undergo HPV DNA testing from beginning of this year until August.
At present, Sarawak has recorded 240 HPV positive cases, one pre-cancer case and zero cancer positive cases.
Also present at the launching ceremony were JKNS director Dr Ooi Choo Huck and LPPKN chairman Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim.
