Health Ministry warns of rising cervical cancer deaths if action is not strengthened

mycreatorzhub@gmail.com October 9, 2025 1 min read

By Chisomo Phiri

The Ministry of Health has warned that the country could face a sharp rise in cervical cancer cases, with deaths projected to surpass 15,700 annually by 2030 if urgent interventions are not intensified.

The warning was issued in Mzuzu on Tuesday during a media orientation ahead of a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign scheduled to run from October 27 to 31, 2025.

At the event,Mzimba North Health Promotion Officer Sella Moyo said the campaign targets girls aged 9 to 18 years as part of a catch-up exercise recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

She noted that since the introduction of the HPV vaccine in 2019, coverage has remained low, leaving many adolescent girls unprotected against cervical cancer.

On his part, Mzimba North Senior Health Promotion Officer Lovemore Kawayi said vaccination coverage in the district currently stands at around 67 percent, adding that more effort is needed to reach the remaining eligible girls.

Cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Malawi.

It accounted for about 37 percent of all new cancer cases among females in 2020.

Currently, the country records about 2,300 new cases and an average of 1,600 deaths each year.