Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Kingston, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 16 June 2025 (PAHO) - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment (MOHWE) of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, conducted a weeklong mission to advance the Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative. The mission focused on assessing and supporting the introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as the primary method for cervical cancer screening. This effort is part of broader regional and global commitments under PAHO’s Plan of Action for Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control 2018-2039, and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem. The PAHO-led delegation was spearheaded by Dr. Mauricio Maza, Regional Advisor for Cancer Prevention and Control, and Dr. Sara Benitez-Majano, PAHO Consultant on Cancer. They were joined by a team of specialists from the University of Miami, a WHO Collaborating Centre for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer, including Dr. Erin Kobetz-Kerman, Dr. Matthew Schlumbrecht, Dr. Antonia Pryor-Leavitt, Dr. Patricia Paule Jeudin, and Ms. Corrine Ferrari. The mission was facilitated by the PAHO/WHO Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries in close partnership with MOHWE, and in consultation with national stakeholders across the health system and wider community. Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, accounting for approximately 12.7% of all cancers in 2023. Despite the introduction of the HPV vaccine in 2017, uptake remains low, and access to high-performance screening technologies and treatment services is limited. The mission was designed to address these challenges through: The team visited seven healthcare facilities, including the Georgetown Health Centre, Stubbs and Buccament Bay Polyclinics, Levi Latham Hospital, Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, and the Oncology Unit at the Modern Medical Complex. These visits focused on evaluating infrastructure and readiness for HPV screening and treatment and gathering feedback from staff. Technical consultations and stakeholder discussions were held with: A special outreach session was also held in Bequia to extend the dialogue beyond the mainland. The mission marked a significant step forward for St. Vincent and the Grenadines in its cervical cancer elimination journey. The collaboration between PAHO, MOHWE, and the University of Miami sets the stage for improved service delivery and stronger health system responses rooted in equity, evidence, and sustainability.
Reference: PAHO supports Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative in Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesLabels: PAHO
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