Screening programmes continue to have a vital role, allowing for early detection and treatment in order to achieve a maximal impact on cervical cancer prevention. 

Cervical cancer takes many years to decades to develop through its various stages which allows for testing (screening) for precancerous lesions and cancer. When screening detects precancerous lesions, these can easily be treated and cancer avoided.

Who should be screened and when? 

Any woman who has ever had sexual intercourse is eligible for cervical cancer screening. The target population for screening is women aged 25 to 49 years. Women aged 50-65 years are still at risk of cervical cancer and can therefore receive screening every 5 years or as advised by your doctor.

Kenya National Cancer Screening Guidelines recommends the following:
1. HPV testing  as the primary screening method for women above 30 years of age. Many young women are infected with HPV and most spontaneously resolve by age of 30 years and hence HPV testing is not recommended in this age group.
2. Where HPV testing is not yet available, or loss-to-follow-up is a risk, then Visual Inspection with Acetic acid (VIA) or Visual Inspection with Acetic acid and Visual Inspection with Lugol’s iodine (VIA/VILI) is recommended as the primary screening method
3. Pap smear is recommended as a primary screening method in the following situations:

• For women not eligible for VIA or VIA/VILI because their  squamo-columnar junction (SCJ) is not visible, and HPV screening not accessible. As a primary test in women under 30 years of age. As a co-test with HPV in HIV positive women where the resources are available