GSK Sri Lanka launches cervical cancer vaccine in the Maldives

The Maldives has received its first vaccine against cervical cancer, the commonest cancer among women in South Asia, following the formal launch of the vaccine in Malé recently by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Pharmaceuticals, Sri Lanka, which is responsible for the distribution of GSK products in the archipelago.

Consultant Gynecological Oncological Surgeon at Sri Lanka’s National Cancer Institute, Maharagama Dr. Kanishka Karunaratne and Medical Director of GSK Sri Lanka Dr. Lucian Jayasuriya presided at the event, attended by a large number of medical professionals including gynecologists, paediatricians, General Practitioners and Medical Officers in the Maldives.

Delivering a presentation on ‘Cervical Cancer and its Prevention’, Dr. Karunaratne said cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Worldwide, more than 500,000 women are newly diagnosed with cervical cancer and 280,000 women will die from it each year, he said, noting that the majority of these deaths are in developing countries.

Dr. Lucian Jayasuriya presented clinical data on GSK’s breakthrough cervical cancer vaccine, which delivers high and sustained levels of antibodies aimed at providing long-term protection against the most common and aggressive human papilloma virus (HPV) types, responsible for the majority of cervical cancers. He stressed that while the vaccine provides primary prevention against the disease, secondary prevention through regular cervical screening needs to be continued.

Cervical Cancer occurs when infection with human papilloma virus becomes persistent and progresses to cancer. More than 80 per cent of women who are sexually active are exposed to some form of the human papilloma virus, and 15 of these HPV types are known to cause cancer. GSK’s cervical cancer vaccine can prevent 80 per cent of cervical cancers as it provides protection against HPV types 16 and 18 as well as certain other cervical cancer causing HPV types.  

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO)/ Institut Català d’Oncologia (ICO) Information Centre on HPV and Cervical Cancer, the Maldives has a population of 97,000 women aged 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cervical cancer. The Centre states that data is not yet available on the burden of cervical cancer in Maldives. However, in Southern Asia, the region the Maldives belongs to, current estimates indicate that every year 169,854 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 93,818 die from the disease.

“Cervical cancer ranks as the 1st most frequent cancer among women in Southern Asia, and the 2nd most frequent cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age. Data is not yet available on the HPV burden in the general population of Maldives. However, in Southern Asia, the region Maldives belongs to, about 7.9 per cent of women in the general population are estimated to harbour cervical HPV infection at a given time,” a report published by the Centre said.