Today marks the first-ever World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day, a milestone endorsed by the World Health Assembly and a major step in global efforts to end a disease that is both preventable and curable. Governments, health partners and advocacy groups across the world are using the day to drive vaccination campaigns, scale up screening and treatment, and reinforce momentum toward eliminating cervical cancer as a public health threat.
Cervical cancer remains the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide and claims more than 350,000 lives each year. Yet health experts stress that it can be eliminated using tools already available. The global elimination strategy led by the World Health Organization (WHO) focuses on three targets: vaccinating 90 percent of girls against the human papillomavirus (HPV), screening 70 percent of women, and treating 90 percent of those diagnosed with pre-cancer or invasive disease.
The newly designated observance is intended to strengthen advocacy, accelerate access to services and mobilize resources so that girls and women everywhere benefit from prevention and care.
“In 2018, I was proud to launch the global call to action on cervical cancer elimination, and I’m even prouder now to see what was once a distant dream becoming a reality,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “More and more countries are scaling up HPV vaccination, improving screening and expanding treatment, bringing us closer to a future free of cervical cancer.”
This year’s commemoration coincides with renewed progress in vaccination coverage. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and its partners announced that the goal of reaching 86 million girls with the HPV vaccine by the end of 2025 has been achieved, signalling strong national commitments and growing investment in elimination strategies.
Countries are marking the day with actions across multiple fronts. Sierra Leone and Liberia are rolling out large-scale vaccination campaigns targeting over 1.5 million girls. In Sierra Leone, the initiative is being paired with a nationwide screening drive across all 16 districts, followed by an awareness walk to promote public education. In Malaysia, survivors are leading a week-long campaign promoting self-sampling HPV testing, an innovation that has shown significant promise in expanding screening access, particularly in underserved communities.
Health agencies say sustained global collaboration and investment will be crucial to reaching elimination targets. For advocates, the first World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day demonstrates that what once seemed aspirational is now within reach — provided that countries keep momentum and continue scaling life-saving interventions.
Source: WHO