WHO to Unveil New Strategy Against Cervical Cancer

The World Health Organization (WHO) is all set to launch a new, global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in the Indian female population.

"On November 17, following the close of the 73rd World Health Assembly, WHO will mark this historic announcement and officially launch the elimination strategy. The moment has arrived for an ambitious, inclusive strategy to accelerate eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem," it said.

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Cancer cervix refers to cancerous growth in the cervix and usually occurs in the transition called squamo-columnar junction.

‘The WHO is planning to unveil a new, global strategy against cervical cancer.’

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The strategy was being prepared in 2018 under WHO's Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and has been finalized after many countries agreed to it.

The WHO has set targets for 2030 to accelerate the progress towards cervical cancer elimination. WHO suggests the countries to strive to reach the goals of vaccinating 90% of girls of 15 years of age with HPV vaccine and screen 70% of women between ages 35-45 years.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) informed that the Union Health Ministry had launched a screening program for cervical cancer.

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"The present strategy of visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) has been rolled out in many districts. However, training of health workers, ensuring linkages between primary, secondary and tertiary level centres and access to services have posed challenges that are unique to every state. Public private partnerships are ongoing to further capacity building and implementation research," an AIIMS spokesperson said.

An indigenous HPV vaccine has been developed in Phase-3 trials now and is expected to be available shortly, said an AIIMS official.

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The vaccine is developed by the Serum Institute of India in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology.

The HPV vaccine was launched back in 2006 and available globally. In India, it is available since 2009.

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"However, despite its availability, the vaccine is not taken up very well in India. Even the production is not adequate," said Prof Neerja Bhatla, of AIIMS' Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

AIIMS is planning to hold a workshop with stakeholders to launch a global strategy against cervical cancer.

Source-Medindia