KUCHING (Jan 27): Sarawak continues to rank among the Malaysian states with the highest cervical cancer rates, according to Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri. She disclosed that 3,037 out of 45,313 women screened in the state tested positive for human papillomavirus (HPV), a leading cause of cervical cancer.
Despite these concerning figures, the minister highlighted significant progress in early detection and prevention efforts. She noted that cervical cancer, previously the third most common cancer among women in Malaysia, had dropped to the sixth position between 2017 and 2021, based on the National Cancer Report.
“It is the only cancer among women that recorded a decline in incidence,” Nancy remarked during the launch of the ‘2025 National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month’ in Kuching.
From 2019 to 2024, the HPV DNA screening programme screened 162,581 women nationwide, identifying 10,582 positive HPV cases. This led to the detection of 135 pre-cancer cases and 17 cancer cases, which were treated promptly.
As part of a pilot project in Kampung Santubong, only 132 out of 790 eligible women aged 30 to 65 had undergone screening. Nancy emphasized the target to screen 300 women annually in the village, aiming for full coverage within two years. “This initiative can serve as a model for other states to focus on high-risk areas,” she said.
To further combat the disease, the ministry, in collaboration with the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), is offering free HPV DNA screenings for women aged 30 to 65 at 50 Klinik Nur Sejahtera clinics nationwide.
“This initiative provides a golden opportunity for eligible women to take proactive steps in safeguarding their health,” stressed Nancy.
