The HPV vaccine was co-invented in Australia and has made a huge difference in defeating cervical cancer. But as this preventable and treatable cancer continues to claim lives, we must do more for universal access to vaccination, screening and treatment. Professor Helen Evans shares this call to action.
Despite being eminently preventable and treatable, cervical cancer claims at least 300,000 lives per year. The fact 90 per cent of these deaths are in low and middle-income countries represents more than a system failure. It’s an issue that demands genuine moral reflection and action.
As we observe the Cervical Cancer Elimination Day of Action we must redouble our commitment to universal access to the HPV vaccination, screening, and treatment to combat this disease that strikes women in the prime of their lives.
Australia has already made an outsize contribution to the global efforts. The HPV vaccine, co-invented by former Australian of the year, Professor Ian Frazer, has been a game-changer. It addresses the root cause of cervical cancer, given that 95 per cent of cases are HPV-related. The vaccine has made a huge impact in averting future deaths.
But Australia’s contribution is not just scientific. In 2007, we were the first country globally to introduce a fully funded national HPV vaccination program and we were an early and consistent financial supporter of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Gavi pools resources from wealthy countries and uses it to bulk purchase vaccines at considerably lower prices for low and middle-income nations, shaping the global vaccine market.
Since 2012, when the Gavi Board approved the inclusion of the HPV vaccine on its list of vaccines, Gavi has supported countries to vaccinate and protect 16.3 million adolescent girls, an astonishing achievement that shows what’s possible when the world co-operates.
However, this mission is far from complete. The situation is still dire for women in low and middle-income countries, including among close neighbours such as Papua New Guinea. Prevention is always better than cure but this vaccine is particularly important in countries where screening and treatment of cervical cancer is still limited. The pandemic severely slowed vaccination efforts as resources were diverted and systems disrupted, leading to a decline in HPV vaccine coverage.
Now, we must prioritise getting HPV vaccination back on track. This is not only a health issue, important though that is. It also affects women’s roles in families and communities. As one eminent First Lady in Africa said: “When women survive, families, communities and nations thrive”. The protection the HPV vaccine offers is a step towards empowering women and girls.
The recent recommendation by the WHO SAGE for a single-dose vaccine schedule is promising. It simplifies the vaccination process and represents a significant opportunity. This development could help us meet the target of protecting 86 million adolescent girls in lower and middle-income countries by 2025.
The progress we’ve made against cervical cancer, especially in countries like Australia, which is on track to eliminate it by 2035, is heartening. Yet, we need more financial and political commitment globally.
It’s about saving lives, but also about lifting the burden of cervical cancer, which in turn empowers women and contributes to the well-being of entire communities.