GAUTENG — Marking seven decades since the historic 1956 Women’s March, health officials are celebrating a massive Gauteng cervical cancer screening surge, reporting a 29% year-over-year increase in early detection tests across the province. The public health milestone was announced alongside National Women’s Day festivities held at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Faith Mazibuko, connected the medical achievement to the enduring legacy of female empowerment and advocacy. Speaking on Sunday, she noted that the original 1956 marchers understood that true progress required decisive action.
“Seventy years later, we honour them by ensuring that women are empowered with information and access to services that can save their lives,” Mazibuko explained. “Every woman who goes for screening is taking charge of her health, her future and the wellbeing of her family.”
By The Numbers: A 44,000-Patient Increase
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) provided the exact data driving this optimism. During the 2025/26 financial year, provincial clinics processed 198,611 screenings, a stark contrast to the 153,703 recorded in the 2024/25 cycle. This gap of 44,908 additional patients means thousands more women received early warnings about cervical cellular changes before malignancies could form.
To achieve this, the GDoH launched intensive awareness initiatives spanning all five regional districts starting in the third quarter of the last financial year. The West Rand emerged as the top-performing area, whereas Ekurhuleni has been flagged for specialized, targeted outreach to improve local participation rates.
“The increase is encouraging, but our work will continue until every eligible woman understands the importance of screening and can access the service,” Mazibuko affirmed.
The Continental Burden and Preventative Care
This provincial success arrives at a critical time for the continent. A March 2024 analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa identified cervical cancer as the primary driver of cancer fatalities among sub-Saharan women. With 18 of the world’s 20 highest-burden nations located in the African Region, the area was responsible for nearly a quarter (23%) of all global cervical cancer deaths in 2022.
Fortunately, health experts emphasize that the disease is highly curable when intercepted early and largely preventable via routine checks and HPV immunizations.
Complementing the adult screening push is the province’s ongoing single-dose HPV immunization drive for schoolgirls. Targeting Grade 5 pupils aged nine and up, the 2025/26 campaign successfully vaccinated 72,249 learners in public schools alongside 9,740 in independent institutions, safeguarding them against the high-risk viral strains responsible for most cervical tumors.
Future Outreach and Clinical Guidelines
For the upcoming 2026/27 financial year, the health department intends to maintain this momentum. Strategies include ongoing public education and the deployment of trained Ward-Based Primary Health Care Outreach Teams to deliver health messaging directly to residents’ doorsteps.
Regarding clinical protocols, the GDoH advises that HIV-negative women schedule screenings at ages 30 and 50. Conversely, women living with HIV should begin their screening regimen at age 20.
Medical professionals strongly advise against waiting for physical symptoms, as early-stage cervical abnormalities are typically silent. However, patients should seek immediate care if they notice unusual vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, discomfort during intercourse, or abnormal bleeding—such as spotting after sex, between menstrual cycles, or post-menopause, as well as unusually heavy or prolonged periods.
In a final message tied to the holiday, the department urged women to view preventative healthcare as a vital extension of the fight for gender equality. Furthermore, the GDoH issued a direct plea to parents and guardians to promptly sign and return HPV vaccination consent forms to schools, ensuring the next generation remains fully protected.
