TBILISI, 28 September 2023 – Greater efforts are needed to end cervical cancer in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, participants said today in Tbilisi at the opening of the 3rd Forum Meeting of the Regional Alliance for Cervical Cancer Prevention hosted by UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, and the Government of Georgia.

Cervical cancer is the second most deadly cancer among women of reproductive age in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Although the disease is largely preventable, 32,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, and 16,000 die. Cervical cancer takes a high emotional, social, and financial toll on women, their families, and national health systems.

“Ending cervical cancer as a public health problem in our region is within our reach if we join our efforts to develop and implement impact-oriented prevention policies and programmes,” said Giulia Vallese, Deputy Regional Director, UNFPA Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

“Georgia’s cervical cancer screening programme shows good progress, but cervical cancer remains a major public health issue as screening is still largely opportunistic,” said Tamar Gabunia, First Deputy Minister, Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia. “Forums like this are essential as platforms for international collaboration, networking, and knowledge-sharing.”

Ninety per cent of cases are preventable through screening and vaccination against HPV, the virus that can cause cervical cancer. There has been significant progress in strengthening prevention and treatment over the past years in the region, but most countries still lack organized national screening programmes and access to screening and follow-up services is often limited, particularly in rural, remote or otherwise marginalized communities.

An analysis of prevention policies presented at the forum by the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights shows a clear divide between western and eastern Europe, with countries in eastern Europe lagging behind in introducing vaccination and screening policies.  

The two-day meeting will review progress made by countries in strengthening prevention and treatment and discuss the latest evidence, good practices, and innovative approaches.

The event takes place in the run-up to a regional ICPD30 conference on 19-20 October 2023 in Geneva reviewing the 30-year progress towards implementation of the landmark Programme of Action adopted by the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994.

The 100 participants from governments, civil society, academia, the private sector and professional societies from across Eastern Europe and Central Asia are expected to adopt a Call to Action to accelerate progress on ending cervical cancer in the region. 

The Regional Alliance for Cervical Cancer Prevention, launched by the UNFPA Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia in 2021, is a coordination body that brings together policymakers, medical experts, private sector companies and international organizations to cooperate, share knowledge and implement the UNFPA Regional Strategy to Eliminate Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem in the region.

The Regional Alliance Forum in Tbilisi is sponsored by MSD, Roche and QIAGEN. 

For more information, please contact:

-Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher, UNFPA Eastern Europe and Central Asia, eschenbaecher@unfpa.org, +905497483655

-Salome Benidze, UNFPA Georgia, benidze@unfpa.org, +995577211300