2021-11-16-世界卫生组织-Cervical_cancer_Lesotho_2021_country_profile_1页_65kb

Cervical Cancer Elimination in Lesotho

Morbidity and Mortality

Cervical cancer incidence is high, with a crude rate of 49.9 per 100,000 women in 2020 and an age-standardized rate of 56.8 per 100,000 women. The cumulative risk for women aged 0-74 is 5.7%. Deaths occur, with 3,700 estimated in 2019 and a mortality-to-incidence ratio of 0.67. However, a population-based cancer registry and reliable mortality data may be unavailable.

Primary Prevention

Lesotho has an HPV vaccination programme introduced in 2006, targeting girls aged 9-14. Coverage for the first dose is 5% of the target population. Full vaccination coverage for girls reaching age 15 is low. HPV is not included in the national vaccination schedule, and tobacco use prevalence among women aged 15+ is 15% (2020).

Secondary Prevention

Secondary prevention efforts are limited as there is no national screening programme for cervical cancer. Screening methods and guidelines for early detection at primary health care are unavailable, nor is a clearly defined referral system to higher levels of care. Screening coverage is low, with only 14-17% of women aged 30-49 reporting recent screening.

Treatment and Supportive Care

Treatment capacity is weak; there are no cancer centers at tertiary levels, and resources like radiotherapy and chemotherapy units are scarce. Staff availability is limited, and palliative care for non-communicable diseases uses opioids, with specific data unavailable for cancer treatment services. Local capacity is insufficient to meet care needs reported in 2017.

Gaps and Context

Data limitations exist, and current efforts fall short of WHO elimination targets for 2030, which aim for reduced incidence and mortality. Primary prevention needs improvement through HPV integration into the national schedule, while secondary prevention and treatment access require scaling up services and strengthening health systems.