Cervical cancer cases on the rise in Central Visayas — DOHbr br Cervical cancer cases in Central Visayas climb to 241 in 2024, with deaths rising to 163, prompting authorities to intensify vaccination and screening programs. Cases have steadily increased from 51 in 2021, 205 in 2022, and 218 in 2023, while deaths rose from 45 in 2021 to 52 in 2022, and 123 in 2023. Dr. Joan Antonette Albito, head of)the Department of Health (DOH) 7’s Non-Communicable Diseases Section, said screening has expanded from 3,728 women in 2021 to 14,946 in 2024, though barriers such as cost, distance, stigma, and asymptomatic early disease still delay diagnosis.