Comprehensive cervical cancer prevention and control: a healthier future for girls and women

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. This WHO guidance note gives a broad vision of what a comprehensive approach to cervical cancer prevention and control means.

At the national level, a comprehensive approach to cervical cancer prevention and control is made up of several key components. These range from community education, social mobilisation, vaccination, screening, and treatment to palliative care. However, there is a need for more involvement of disciplines and national health programmes, such as immunisation, reproductive health, cancer control and adolescent health.

Conclusions include:

• in countries where human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is introduced, screening programmes will need to be developed or strengthened
• prior to national introduction, countries are encouraged to pilot and assess vaccine delivery strategies in order to determine how to achieve affordable and high HPV vaccination coverage
• careful analysis of the financial costs of both the vaccine and the delivery strategy will be a critical step in the decision-making process
• strategies that reduce the number of clinic visits required for screening and treatment make it easier for women to receive the care they need, to increase follow-up and reduce programme costs
• it is important to have strong systems in place to monitor national vaccination programmes coverage.

In addition, the paper indicates that HPV vaccine introduction can be a potential catalyst for action in the following ways:

• the development of a national cervical cancer prevention and control strategy
• addressing cervical cancer prevention and control in a comprehensive manner that also promotes the sexual health of females over the life course and together with a package of other key health interventions
• ensuring coordination between immunisation, health education and cancer control programmes
• generating support and advocacy for new resource mobilisation for cervical cancer prevention and control.