Why are women living with HIV and dying from Cervical Cancer?

Women are most at risk for HIV infection in Africa. And yet, thousands are surviving HIV only to die of a preventable disease, Cervical Cancer. Learn more about Jhpiego's single visit screen-and-treat approach.

http://www.jhpiego.org/

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Video Transcript:

In Africa, most people think of malaria, AIDS and child birth as leading causes of death, but there is a silent killer that is plaguing the continent - cervical cancer.

Every two minutes, a woman dies of cervical cancer - nobody notices that these women are dying unnecessarily from a cancer that is preventable.

Every 7 minutes, a woman in Africa develops cervical cancer

Women who are HIV positive are at greater risk for cervical cancer.

In Africa, less than 1% of women are being screened.

Mrs. Ajaratu kinda, a mother of six children, didn't know about cervical cancer until it was too late.

They said there is nothing else they can do for me here.

A simple test that costs less than five dollars could have saved this woman's life.

I'm 33...I'm 33

Women who are HIV positive are surviving AIDs and dying of cervical cancer.

My name is Ouedraogo Aguiratou. I have 7 children.

This woman was also diagnosed too late.

The pain started and then I got pregnant. Right now, I feel pain all over my body.

There is little that can be done at this point aside from making her comfortable as possible.

It's really really sad to watch these women in pain and really realizing that we could have tested her a few years back.

Because pap tests are essentially unavailable in the developing world, Jhpiego has championed a safe, inexpensive and effective screening method that uses simple table vinegar.

You can get vinegar in every country. And so that's why it's a low-cost initiative that can save hundreds of women's lives. We call it the single visit approach where they screen with the vinegar, if they see abnormal cells, then they treat that woman in the same visit.

Not every clinic has a cryotherapy unit which means women have to go elsewhere for treatment.

A cryotherapy unit costs only $2,000.

When programs do not screen and treat in a single visit, half has many women will get the lifesaving treatment they need.

Dr. Jean is really, we call him a champion of cervical cancer.

Jhpiego has played an exceptional role in the support of women's health in Burkina, in cervical cancer.

I am 37 years old and I have 3 children.

The Jhpiego program has allowed us to establish a connection with the community.

I saw an ad on TV about cervical cancer. I was afraid, so I went to get screened.

About 7,000 women have benefitted from screening and treatment.

I have nothing (negative).

My most profound wish is that we continue to expand training, supplies and supervision to hospitals and peripheral health centers.

We know that every 2 minutes, a woman dies of cervical cancer. We know that cervical cancer is preventable, but for the lack of a few dollars for a screening test and treatment, women will die due to cervical cancer. When a mother dies, her children are ten times more likely to die.

This is our time. It is our time to use the tools we have to screen and treat women and save women's lives.