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The First Lady of South Africa, Madame Tobeka Zuma, is in New York City for an official mission to the 70th General Assembly of the United Nations. Two days ago, 150 member states gathered under the auspices of the UN General Assembly to adopt 17 comprehensive sustainable development goals for 2030. One of the goals relates to health, and for the first time, includes an indicator to address the prevention, treatment and care of non-communicable diseases, such as cancer.

To continue her advocacy on breast, cervical and prostate cancer on a global platform, Madame Zuma joined other African First Ladies at a high-level dialogue hosted by the Princess Nikky Breast Cancer Foundation. Breast and cervical cancer are the two leading cancers among women in South Africa. Eighty two per cent of deaths due to cancer occur in developing countries where access to prevention services such as education, the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and lifesaving pre -cancer screening and early treatment is limited. HPV greatly increases risk of cervical cancer in women. 

Madame Zuma, in her former role as Chairperson of the African First Ladies against Breast and Cervical Cancer forum, played a key role in bringing down the prices of the HPV vaccine in early 2014. As a result, the vaccine is now freely available in the public health sector in South Africa. In 2014, 16 500 schools were visited and nearly 420 000 nine-year-old girls were vaccinated against HPV. This constituted almost 93% of the 2014 target,

While much progress has been made with regard to cancer diagnosis and treatment remains a challenge.  “In order to address cancer, a multi-sectoral, ‘whole-of-life’ approach must be adopted,” said Margaret Kenyatta, First Lady of Kenya and current chairperson of the African First Ladies Against Breast and Cervical Cancer. “We advocated for public-private partnerships for HIV treatment and we need to do the same for cancer.”

While South Africa has a number of world-class cancer treatment centres, they are not equally accessible to all.  A study has shown a direct correlation between the distance from Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Soweto, and stage at presentation of cancer. Stigma has also been identified as a significant barrier to access to cancer treatment.

The World Health Organization has placed a number of cancer drugs on its Essential Medicine List, but prices remain prohibitive for many developing countries. “Government, civil society and the private sector needs to work together to find innovative solutions to the issue of high prices. We need to consider local production, while continuing to advocate for the reduction in price so that all women have a chance to access these life-saving drugs,” said Mrs Zuma.

Issued by TMZ Foundation