Equitable access to cervical cancer prevention in the WHO European Region increases as 4 more countries introduce HPV vaccination - who.int

Albania, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro and Serbia all launched nationwide vaccination of adolescents against human papillomavirus (HPV) this year, significantly increasing access to this effective tool for preventing cervical cancer among girls living in middle-income countries in the Region. 

HPV infection is an underlying cause of cervical cancer, the fourth most common type of cancer in women globally. Ninety percent of these women live in low- and middle-income countries. Each year in the European Region, more than 66 000 women are newly diagnosed with cervical cancer and more than 30 000 die from the disease.

Primary prevention of cervical cancer is best achieved by high levels of HPV immunization among girls aged 9–14. WHO urges all countries to introduce HPV vaccines to protect more girls and women from cervical cancer and all its consequences over the course of their lifetimes. Vaccination of boys, where feasible, also increases protection of girls through herd immunity and protects boys against other HPV-related cancers.  

Ensuring equitable access 

In the European Region, 38 of 53 countries had introduced the HPV vaccine by the end of 2021. These included 31 of the Region's 33 high-income countries, and 7 of its 20 middle-income countries. With the introduction in Albania, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro and Serbia, girls in over half (11) of the middle-income countries in the Region now have access to this life-saving vaccine. 

"We will continue our support to countries in setting themselves on a pathway to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem through universal and equitable HPV vaccination, appropriate cervical cancer screening, timely diagnosis, and quality treatment and palliative care for all women," said Dr Nino Berdzuli, Director of the Division of Country Health Programmes at WHO/Europe.   

Path to eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem

In September 2022 all 53 Member States in the Region committed to protecting girls and women from this preventable disease when they approved the Roadmap to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem in the WHO European Region 2022–2030. 

All 4 countries that introduced HPV vaccination in 2022 have seen a high burden of this disease in past years. In Albania, cervical cancer is the second leading cause of mortality among women of all ages. Montenegro has the highest age-standardized incidence rate of cervical cancer (26.2 per 100 000 women) among countries in the Region, and Serbia has the third highest (18.7 per 100 000 women). Kyrgyzstan also has a high incidence rate (15.1 per 100 000 women), and a cervical cancer mortality rate among the highest in the Region (8.67 deaths per 100 000 population).  

These HPV vaccine introductions contribute towards 1 of the 3 global targets for achieving elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem: 90% of girls vaccinated; 70% of women screened with an HPV test at ages 35 and 45; and 90% of patients receiving treatment for pre- or invasive cancer. 

WHO support 

WHO/Europe is committed to supporting Member States in taking action for current and future generations to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem. 

To facilitate the successful introduction of HPV vaccination and sustained high coverage, WHO/Europe offers technical support in the areas of advocacy and information sharing, evidence-based decision-making, preparation and planning for vaccine rollout, behavioural insights research to ensure public acceptance of and demand for vaccination, and tailored communication and capacity-building of health-care workers to increase their knowledge and confidence in recommending the vaccines. 

WHO also supports countries in monitoring and improving service delivery and overall programme performance.