Call for more cervical cancer screening across UAE

Dr Osman Ortashi of UAE University says cervical cancer can and should be prevented. Reem Mohammed / The National

DUBAI // All Middle East countries should follow the UAE’s example and set up cervical screening to prevent the second-most prevalent cancer among women, a leading health expert says.

Abu Dhabi has the UAE’s first organised screening programme for cervical cancer, and the only vaccination programme for the human papillomavirus that causes more than 99 per cent of cases.

The pioneering step should lead to a decline in the disease across the country, said Dr Osman Ortashi, assistant professor in obstetrics and gynaecology at the UAE University.

“It is the only country that has a HPV vaccination programme in the Middle East,” said Dr Ortashi. “I think people should look to the UAE as a model.”

HPV vaccination prevents 70 per cent of cases and is recommended that women receive the vaccine before getting married and becoming sexually active.

Calls have been made for other emirates to follow Abu Dhabi.

In developed countries, the disease is in steady decline because of similar successful screening and vaccination programmes, said Dr Ortashi.

“The more effective the programme, the fewer cases of cervical cancer there are,” he said.

While symptoms can include bowel pain, bladder problems, fatigue and weight loss, some signs can lie dormant for up to 10 years, said Dr Ortashi.

This highlights the importance of screening and vaccination.

But Dr Ortashi, who was speaking at the public health conference at Arab Health on Tuesday, said it was ideal for all countries to have screening programmes, but not always realistic because of the high cost.

In England it costs an estimated £175 million (Dh969m) to screen for cervical cancer each year.

“Arab countries are very difficult to put in one basket,” said Dr Ortashi.

“They are not the same in terms of resources and it is difficult to compare what screening programmes should be recommended for one and for another.

“In a low-resource country it is very difficult to ask them to apply a cervical cancer screening programme.”

More than half a million women have cervical cancer diagnosed worldwide each year and 250,000 die from it.

Eighty-eight per cent of cases happen in underdeveloped countries, with less resources and prevention programmes.

While the UAE is leading the way, cervical cancer is still the second-most common form of the disease among its women.

Dr Ortashi said the Government had played its part, now more residents needed to take advantage of what was on offer.

“The Government has provided the infrastructure for screening and vaccinations but the uptake needs to be increased,” he said.

“And it will only increase when more women become aware of cervical cancer and the importance of the HPV vaccine for themselves and their daughters. Those who are already sexually active should get a Pap smear.”

Dr Ortashi said it was unlikely there would ever be no cases of the cancer.

“It is almost impossible to have no cases,” he said. “We should have the minimum possible level but obviously some of the cases will escape the screening and prevention programme.”

If left untreated, cervical cancer can be deadly.

“It is a killing disease,” Dr Ortashi said. “But there is no reason why it should get to this stage. It can be prevented.”