In a recent World Health Assembly, 194 countries agreed on a plan to reduce new cases of Cervical Cancer by 40% by 2050. This is the first of its kind in terms of a goal directed against cancer. The WHO plans to eradicate this disease in a 3-part strategy for 3 targets, with a due date of 2030. This is projected to save 5 million females from Cervical Cancer.
The 3 targets are: 90% HPV vaccination coverage of girls by 15 years old, 70% screening coverage for women by age 35, 45, and 90% access to treatment for cervical pre-cancer and cancer, including access to palliative care. Though these goals are lofty, there is an HPV vaccine currently which makes this a likely canidate, but an obstacle to these goals are availability in low/middle income countries.
Without immediate action, the 4th most common cancer among women universally would see cases reach 700,000 and 400,000 preventable deaths by 2030. The death rate disparity between low/middle income and high income countries also produces an obstacle.
The benefits of this disease can be shown via DALYs which state that eradication could lead to more women in the workforce with $3.20 returned to the economy for $1.00 invested, and $26 to families and communities. In addition, new technologies with AI are allowing physicians to achieve a diagnosis of cervical cancer within 15-20 minutes which is very promising as of now, it can take up to a month to receive a diagnosis. This is exciting for low/middle income countries as in order to cure HPV, you must catch it early.
- Liz
Articles:
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/11/1077752?utm_source=Global+Health+NOW+Main+List&utm_campaign=f33d9a6b21-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_11_16_04_09&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8d0d062dbd-f33d9a6b21-2994893
https://www.who.int/news/item/17-11-2020-a-cervical-cancer-free-future-first-ever-global-commitment-to-eliminate-a-cancer?utm_source=STAT+Newsletters&utm_campaign=a340ed23ac-MR_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8cab1d7961-a340ed23ac-134140705&utm_source=Global+Health+NOW+Main+List&utm_campaign=f33d9a6b21-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_11_16_04_09&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8d0d062dbd-f33d9a6b21-2994893
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