Good morning and welcome to this meeting on eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem in the South-East Asia Region.
I want to begin by commending participants and partners on the tremendous momentum that together we have developed to prevent, screen, treat and manage cervical cancer, and to address the inequities its burden represents.
In 2015 the Region launched its Strategic Framework for the comprehensive control of cancer cervix.
In 2016 we launched our Regional Vaccine Action Plan, which includes specific measures to enhance HPV vaccination.
Since 2019 countries of the Region have been implementing our Strategic Framework for accelerating universal access to sexual and reproductive health.
At the recently concluded Regional Committee meeting – the Region’s highest governing body meeting – the Region launched its Implementation Framework for eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem.
Underlining these and other initiatives are two of the Region’s eight Flagship Priorities:
First, preventing and controlling noncommunicable diseases through high-impact and cost-effective “best buys”.
And second, achieving universal health coverage (UHC).
In all countries of the Region, commitment to achieve the 2030 interim targets of the Global Strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem is inspiring.
By 2030, 90% of girls in the Region must be fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by 15 years of age.
Seventy percent of women must be screened using a high-performance test by 35 years of age and again by 45 years of age.
Ninety percent of women identified with cervical disease or precancer must be treated.
And 90% percent of women with invasive cancer must be managed.
To achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 target 3.4, we must reduce by 30% cervical cancer deaths by 2030.
Member States have in recent years achieved significant progress – progress they have made every effort to protect, defend and advance amid the COVID-19 response.
Five countries of the Region – Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand – have introduced nation-wide HPV vaccination, the most important preventive measure there is.
In India and Indonesia, HPV vaccination has been introduced in several states and provinces, covering tens of millions of people.
In nine of the Region’s 11 Member States, population-based cervical cancer screening has been initiated, while several countries of the Region now include cervical cancer screening in essential service or UHC packages.
Services for adolescent and sexual and reproductive health continue to be strengthened, including through integration of HPV vaccination and promotion of safe sexual behaviour.
In 2017 the Region became the first WHO region to publish a training package for health workers, providing comprehensive guidance on cervical cancer screening and management of cervical precancers.
Amid the COVID-19 response, WHO and partners have conducted an array of online trainings in colposcopy and cervical cancer prevention, with the aim of increasing access for all to quality health services to prevent, screen, treat and manage cervical cancer.
Gaps and challenges nevertheless remain. Despite accounting for around a quarter of the world’s population, the Region contributes an estimated 32% of cervical cancer cases and 34% of cervical cancer deaths globally.
Together, let us make the most of this opportunity to accelerate progress towards our interim and elimination targets, with a focus on three priorities.
First, strengthening high-level political commitment and resource mobilization, which is essential to increase access to HPV vaccination and precision HPV DNA testing.
Current constraints on vaccine supply, coupled with relatively high prices, have in the past precluded some countries from accessing HPV vaccines.
However, we soon expect a new and cheaper HPV vaccine to be added to the WHO list of prequalified vaccines, thus potentially increasing access to HPV vaccines.
But that increase will only be achieved if political commitment and resource allocations are sufficient, which it is our duty to ensure.
The same applies to what must be a Region-wide transition towards HPV DNA testing, which two countries of the Region – Sri Lanka and Thailand – currently use, with more set to follow.
The procurement and equitable distribution of HPV DNA testing in all countries of the Region is essential not only to achieve the 2030 testing coverage targets, but to overcome ongoing and unjust inequities in all aspects of cervical cancer care.
Second, we must better integrate services to prevent, screen, treat and manage cervical cancer into existing programmes.
Services for HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health, as well as family planning services, are natural platforms to enhance cervical cancer prevention.
Immunization services, adolescent health services, cancer control programmes and primary health care can also be strong enablers for implementing our elimination strategy.
In all countries of the Region, innovations that enhance access to medicines and cutting-edge technologies should be identified and applied to maximum effect.
Third, enhancing partnerships.
UN, development and implementing partners must continue to work together in a coordinated and cohesive fashion, with full engagement of national professional associations and organizations.
South-to-south twinning has proven particularly impactful in the Region and globally, and should be expanded as and where appropriate, especially to increase capacity building.
Partnerships between the public and private sectors must be sustained and scaled up, ensuring that improvements in the quality and coverage of cervical cancer services are incremental and consistent, and experienced by all populations, wherever they live, and whatever their social or economic status.
I take this opportunity to commend several countries of the Region for already planning catch-up HPV vaccination campaigns or intensifying routine immunization aimed at restoring HPV vaccination in girls to pre-pandemic levels.
The battle against COVID-19 has been long and hard, and as that battle continues, we must continue to protect, defend and – where appropriate – catch up on progress in all areas of health, including cervical cancer.
No one can be left behind, much less women and girls.
I wish you productive deliberations, thank you for your participation, and look forward to our onward journey together, towards a Region and world in which cervical cancer is no longer a public health problem, for the health and well-being of every woman and every girl, everywhere.
Thank you.