When we hear “cervical cancer,” the conversation often stops at women. It is labelled, boxed, and whispered about as if it belongs only in female circles. Yet cervical cancer is not just a woman’s problem. It is a family problem, a community problem, and yes…a men’s problem too.

In Zambia, we lose nearly 2,000 women every year to cervical cancer. Two thousand sisters, mothers, daughters, and aunties. Two thousand empty chairs at family gatherings. And yet, we continue to speak of cervical cancer as though it sits quietly in one corner of society. It does not. It cuts across households, workplaces, schools, and churches.

Silent carriers

Cervical cancer is caused by persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus passed through sexual contact. Most men who carry HPV never develop symptoms. They pass it on unknowingly, often to women who may later develop abnormal cell changes that turn cancerous if left untreated.

This is why saying “cervical cancer is a woman’s problem” is misleading. Men are part of the story, whether they acknowledge it or not. If you are a husband, partner, or boyfriend, your role is not neutral. If you are a father or a brother, your influence on decisions about health checks, vaccination, and family priorities matters more than you realise.

The Economics of Neglect

Zambian families are not unfamiliar with health costs. Relatives can raise money for funerals within days. Yet the same urgency is rarely applied to prevention. A screening test for cervical cancer costs a fraction of what a funeral does, but prevention doesn’t carry the same social prestige as a big send-off.

The irony is, we would rather spend more in mourning than less in prevention. For many households, this is not just about money but about mindset. Men in particular can shift this thinking by encouraging routine health checks.

Pride and Partnership

Too often, women’s reproductive health is shrouded in shame. Some women fear being accused of promiscuity if they ask for a test. Others face resistance from partners who misunderstand HPV and assume that a diagnosis reflects infidelity. This silence and suspicion are killing us more than the virus itself.

We need a culture where men and women see health as shared investment. Just as men proudly buy fertiliser for the farm, fuel for the car, or fees for the children’s school, so too should they invest in Pap smears, HPV tests, and vaccination. Not as charity, but as partnership.

Community Care

Cervical cancer is also a community issue. Think of the market woman who dies too young, leaving a gap in both her household income and her community’s supply chain. Or the teacher whose pupils lose their mentor. Or the nurse who served everyone else but didn’t check herself. These stories ripple out far beyond individual families.

When communities begin to see cervical cancer as a collective responsibility, the stigma breaks down. We start speaking openly about vaccination for our daughters and sons. We encourage each other to get screened. We normalise difficult conversations so that no one feels embarrassed to raise the subject.

Global Picture, Local Fight

Globally, the World Health Organisation has set ambitious goals: by 2030, 90% of girls vaccinated against HPV by age 15, 70% of women screened at least twice in their lifetime, and 90% of those with disease treated. Zambia has made progress by rolling out HPV testing and offering vaccination in schools, but coverage remains uneven, especially in rural areas.

This is where men can play a bridging role. Rural fathers who allow their daughters to be vaccinated. Urban husbands who accompany their wives to clinics instead of mocking them for being “too careful.” Brothers who use their voices to break the silence in churches, workplaces, and WhatsApp groups.

Health as Love in Action

At its heart, wellness is not just about diet plans or gym memberships. It is about how we care for one another. It is about saying: I value your life enough to make sure you are protected. For men, this means more than flowers on Valentine’s Day or gifts at Christmas. It means advocating for the women you love to be screened. It means budgeting for prevention, not just reacting to crisis. It means showing up at the clinic, even if you are not the patient.
Love is not only what we say, it is what we do to keep each other alive.

Shifted Thinking

If cervical cancer is ever to be eliminated in Zambia, the shift must be cultural, not just clinical. We must move away from the language of “women’s problems” and instead embrace “family wellness.” Men, women, elders, and youth all have roles to play.

We need to normalise conversations about HPV in the same way we talk about malaria or HIV. We need to demand stronger access to vaccines and screening, but also hold ourselves accountable for using what is already available. And most importantly, we need to see prevention not as shameful, but as powerful.

Fun Fact: Most people who contract HPV clear it naturally within two years without any symptoms. The danger lies in persistent infections that do not clear, which can cause abnormal cells and eventually cervical cancer. Regular screening catches these changes before they turn serious.

Wellness Tip: If you are a man, ask the women in your life when they last had a cervical cancer screening. Offer to accompany them or cover the small cost. If you are a woman, talk openly to your family about HPV and encourage vaccination for your daughters – and sons. Normalising these conversations is the first step to ending stigma.

Cervical cancer is not just a woman’s problem. It is a family problem, a community problem, and a national problem. If men and women stand together, prioritise prevention, and treat wellness as love in action, then perhaps the empty chairs at our gatherings will be fewer, and the laughter of mothers, sisters, and aunties will ring louder and longer.

(Kaajal Vaghela is a wellness entrepreneur, sportswear designer, and diabetes health consultant with over three decades of lived experience managing Type 1 diabetes. Having previously served as Chairperson of the Lusaka branch of the Diabetes Association of Zambia, she remains a passionate advocate for breaking down myths and building awareness about diabetes. For more information, visit: www.kaajalvaghela.com and for any feedback: [email protected])