
Kilele Health Association Courtesy Visit To Embu County Executive Commission Office
February 25, 2024
Kilele Health Association Sensitizes Community Health Promoters In Embu County As Part Of Their Efforts To Eliminate Cervical Cancer.
April 13, 2024Cartagena de Indias, Colombia – March 7, 2024 – The African Cervical Health Alliance (ACHA) took a prominent stand at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Forum held from March 5 to 7 in Cartagena de Indias. The forum convened governments, donors, and health organizations to address the pressing issue of cervical cancer worldwide.
Global Impact and Future Steps
The forum aimed at mobilizing global action and resources to eliminate cervical cancer, a disease that disproportionately affects women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The event focused on securing commitments from countries and organizations to expand access to HPV vaccines, screening, and treatment, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
The WHO’s Global Strategy for Cervical Cancer Elimination, launched in 2020, outlines three key targets to be met by 2030: vaccinating 90% of girls against HPV by age 15, screening 70% of women with high-performance tests by ages 35 and 45, and treating 90% of women with cervical disease.
ACHA’s Commitment and Role
Ms. Karen Nakawala, Founder TEAL Sisters Foundation in Zambia delivered ACHA’s commitment statement. She emphasized the organization’s dedication to achieving the WHO’s 90/70/90 targets by 2030, describing the potential of the single-dose HPV vaccine as transformative as it holds immense promise in increasing vaccine uptake and coverage.
“This vaccine simplifies and increases access to vaccination, crucial for resource-constrained settings in Africa and other LMICs. It offers a cost-effective solution to reach underserved populations, especially in resource-constrained settings in Africa and other LMICs.”
Nakawala highlighted the essential role of grassroots civil society organizations in bridging the gap between policy and implementation.
“These organizations are pivotal in disseminating accurate and culturally relevant information on cervical cancer prevention directly to communities.”
“ACHA is committed to collaborating with governments and other stakeholders to eliminate cervical cancer, by enhancing equitable and sustainable access to HPV vaccines, supporting the formulation and implementation of screening and early treatment programs, and increasing the capacity and effectiveness of healthcare to ensure all women have access to treatment of precancerous lesions”
She concluded by noting that ACHA is committed to empower survivors and caregivers with advocacy skills in the achievement of the WHO 90/70/90 targets by 2030. This initiative aims to equip individuals with the knowledge and tools they need to advocate effectively for comprehensive cervical cancer prevention and treatment strategies.
Broader Commitments
The forum also saw commitments from a broad coalition of organizations and governments, including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, USAID and the World Bank. These entities pledged to increase funding, improve access to healthcare services, and advocate for comprehensive cancer care.
The Path Forward
The forum served as a pivotal moment in the global fight against cervical cancer, aiming to translate commitments into tangible actions. As the global community moves forward, the focus will be on ensuring that these commitments lead to substantial improvements in cervical cancer prevention and treatment worldwide. The participation and pledges from diverse organizations underscore a shared determination to eliminate this preventable disease, which continues to impact hundreds of thousands of women annually.
Click here to download ACHA’s full statement.
For more information on the commitments made by various organizations and governments at the Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Forum, click this link
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