The World Health Assembly has adopted the global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem.
Cervical cancer is a preventable and curable disease, as long as it is detected early and managed effectively. Yet it is the fourth most common form of cancer among women worldwide, and the most common cancer among women living with HIV, who are six times as likely to develop cervical cancer. In 2018, the disease claimed the lives of more than 300 000 women.
Cancer of the cervix is also a disease that reflects global inequity. Its burden is greatest in low- and middle-income countries, where access to public health services is limited and screening and treatment for the disease have not been widely implemented. In 2018, nearly 90% of all deaths worldwide occurred in low- and middle-income countries. Further, the proportion of women with cervical cancer who die from the disease is greater than 60% in these countries, which is more than twice the number in many high-income countries, where it is as low as 30%.
For more details click here.