September 10, 2026
By Dr Mark Faesen, CHRU, Specialist Gynaecologist
10 September marks International Gynaecological Health Day, and this year it falls during Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. So at the Clinical Health Research Unit (CHRU), we are focusing on one of the most preventable, yet most persistent, threats to women's health in South Africa.
A regional and national crisis
Sub-Saharan Africa carries the highest prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the world. HPV is the virus responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer. Despite being one of the most preventable cancers, cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death among women in the region.
In South Africa, cervical cancer is now the second most common cancer among women, after breast cancer. The country's incidence rate sits between 22.8 and 27 cases per 100,000 women, well above the global average of 15.8 per 100,000. More than 10,000 South African women are diagnosed each year, and around 5,800 lose their lives to the disease annually.
The HIV connection
HIV status is one of the strongest risk factors for cervical disease. Women living with HIV face significantly higher risk of:
- HPV infection
- Cervical pre-cancer
- Invasive cervical cancer.
Nearly 65% of women diagnosed with cervical cancer in South Africa are HIV-positive, and HIV-positive women are around six times more likely to develop cervical cancer than HIV-negative women. Adolescent girls and young women aged 15–24 represent around 59% of new infections.
Prevention works
The WHO's 90-70-90 strategy sets out a clear path to eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem:
- 90% of girls fully vaccinated against HPV by age 15
- 70% of women screened by ages 35 and 45
- 90% of women with cervical disease receiving appropriate treatment
South Africa has made real progress on vaccination, historically reaching up to 85% of targeted Grade 5 girls with at least one HPV vaccine dose. In early 2026, the Department of Health expanded the national HPV vaccination programme to include girls in private and independent schools, along with catch-up vaccination for young women aged 15–20.
Screening remains the weaker link. Although cervical screening is available free of charge in the public sector, only around 40% of eligible women are currently screened. South Africa is transitioning from conventional pap smears to more sensitive HPV DNA testing to improve early detection.
Treatment access also needs strengthening. While colposcopy and LLETZ services for pre-cancerous disease are increasingly being decentralised to regional and district facilities, only an estimated 16–20% of women with significant pre-cancerous abnormalities receive timely treatment. Resource constraints and loss to follow-up continue to delay management of invasive disease.
Where CHRU's research fits in
With a particular focus on women living with HIV, CHRU conducts research across the areas where the greatest gains against cervical cancer can still be made:
- HPV diagnostics — improving how infection and disease risk are identified
- Cervical cancer screening — strengthening early detection, particularly among high-risk women
- Cervical pre-cancer treatment — supporting timely, effective management before disease progresses
International Gynaecological Health Day is a reminder that cervical cancer is not inevitable. Between HPV vaccination, wider screening coverage, and timely treatment of pre-cancerous disease, South Africa has the tools to dramatically reduce both new cases and deaths, particularly among women living with HIV who carry the greatest risk.