With the 2030 deadline fast approaching, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has issued an urgent call for accelerated action to eliminate cervical cancer across the Americas. Marking World Cancer Day (February 4), the organization warned that current progress remains insufficient to meet elimination targets despite significant advancements in vaccination programs.
Regional health data reveals stark disparities in cervical cancer outcomes. Annually, over 78,000 women receive diagnoses while more than 40,000 succumb to the disease. A disturbing 83% of these fatalities occur within Latin America and the Caribbean, where mortality rates triple those documented in North America. These statistics underscore profound inequities in accessing preventive measures, early detection services, and appropriate treatment timelines.
PAHO’s elimination framework establishes three critical benchmarks for 2030: achieving 90% HPV vaccination coverage for girls under 15; screening 70% of women aged 35 and 45 using high-performance tests; and ensuring 90% treatment access for women with precancerous lesions or invasive cancer.
Notable progress includes HPV vaccine availability in 49 of 51 Americas countries and territories, with 70% programmatic coverage for the initial dose. Twenty-four nations have adopted single-dose scheduling, substantially improving vaccination accessibility. However, Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa emphasized that screening and treatment infrastructures require massive strengthening. Only 14 countries have incorporated HPV testing into screening programs, with coverage remaining inadequate and data collection limited. Radiotherapy services are reportedly available in just 18 nations.
Projections indicate cervical cancer deaths could exceed 46,200 annually by 2030 without intervention scaling. PAHO is supporting member states through technical cooperation for national care plans and leveraging Regional Revolving Funds to procure affordable vaccines, screening tests, colposcopes, thermal ablation devices, and electrosurgical equipment. Integration into primary healthcare systems aims to bridge accessibility gaps regardless of geographic or socioeconomic barriers.
Strategic partnerships with Unitaid and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) further bolster prevention, detection, and care initiatives. A virtual seminar on February 4 will facilitate knowledge exchange regarding elimination strategies and introduce new planning tools for HPV screening and treatment protocols.