The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has kicked off the new year with the launch of a month-long Cervical Cancer Awareness campaign aimed at accelerating public education, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination for girls and screening for women across the metropolis.

The campaign launched through the Accra Metropolitan Health Directorate on social media is expected to run till the end of the month and seeks to, among other things, ensure prompt, life-saving treatment for women diagnosed with cervical precancer and cancer.

The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, said the metropolis was prioritising cervical cancer prevention because the disease continues to claim the lives of women, stressing that early action through vaccination, regular screening and prompt treatment remained the most effective way to reduce deaths.

He indicated that the month’s activities would focus on community sensitisation on cervical cancer risks and prevention, while mobilising parents, schools, faith-based organisations and community leaders to support the vaccination of girls aged 9 to 14 against HPV, which the Directorate identified as a major cause of cervical cancer.

The Mayor also urged women particularly those aged 25 years and above to take advantage of screening opportunities that would be offered during the campaign, explaining that detecting precancerous changes early made treatment more successful and less costly for families.

The Director of Health Service for the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Dr. Louisa Ademki Matey  said the Directorate would use the month to intensify health education and service delivery, including the provision of cervical cancer screening tests for women 25 years and above, as well as referrals and prompt, life-saving treatment for women diagnosed with cervical precancer and cancer.

Dr. Matey, noted that the campaign’s materials highlighted key coverage targets for prevention and care, including the vaccination of girls by age 15, screening of women by age 35 and again by age 45, and timely treatment for women found with precancer and invasive disease, adding that the metropolis intended to translate those targets into practical outreach at community level.

She said residents should expect health workers to engage communities and provide guidance on where to access services, while the broader public education drive would be pushed heavily online to reach households quickly and counter misinformation about vaccination and screening.

She encouraged residents to follow updates through its official WhatsApp channel via the QR code shared on its campaign flyers, and directed the public to its contact lines for enquiries and service information: +233 030 396 0774 and +233 (0) 598 008 459.

She appealed to families to support girls’ vaccination, women’s screening, and early reporting for care, insisting that prevention and early detection could save lives.