Maluti Adventist Hospital Receives German Embassy Support for Cervical Cancer Project

Cervical cancer remains the leading cancer affecting women in Lesotho, with a recorded rate of 49.9 new cases per 100,000 women as of 2020, resulting in an estimated 370 deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization (2021). Women living in rural communities often face significant barriers to accessing timely screening and treatment services. Many cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, while limited access to specialised equipment means that patients requiring procedures such as Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) often have to travel long distances to receive care. For many families, transport costs and the distance to treatment centres contribute to delays in care and loss to follow-up.

In response to these challenges, Maluti Adventist Hospital has been awarded funding through the German Embassy in South Africa's Micro-Project Scheme for the implementation of the Cervical Cancer Screening and Treatment Project. The project seeks to establish reliable and accessible cervical cancer screening and early treatment services at Maluti Adventist Hospital, improving reproductive health outcomes and reducing late-stage cervical cancer presentations.

Through the grant, the hospital will procure essential medical equipment, including a colposcope, thermal ablation device, and a Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) machine. The equipment will strengthen the hospital's capacity to provide timely screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cervical pre-cancerous lesions, reducing the need for women to travel elsewhere for these services.

The project also includes community sensitisation activities and outreach screening campaigns aimed at raising awareness about cervical cancer prevention and the importance of early detection. The outreach programme began on 12 May 2026 and has already reached the communities of Nokong and Ha Mokhathi, where women received Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) screening services.

VIA is a simple and effective screening method used to identify early abnormal changes that may lead to cervical cancer if left untreated. Through increased community outreach and improved access to treatment, the project aims to screen more than 1,000 women while significantly reducing the number of patients referred elsewhere for treatment.

Through this initiative, Maluti Adventist Hospital aims to reduce barriers to healthcare access and ensure that more women, particularly those living in remote rural communities, benefit from timely screening, diagnosis, and treatment services. The hospital remains committed to improving women's health outcomes and contributing to the national effort to reduce the burden of cervical cancer in Lesotho.