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Director’s Note
September 2025
Dear Friends,
It is a privilege to greet you for the first time as Director a.i., Noncommunicable Diseases & Mental Health, and to join you in advancing the global effort to eliminate cervical cancer. Across my career, I have seen how determined, collective action —rooted in science, equity, and solidarity — can change lives. The Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative is a powerful example of that truth.
This year has already brought historic milestones. At the 78th World Health Assembly, Member States designated 17 November as World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day — an official recognition of the vision set in motion in 2018, and of the determination of countries, communities, and partners to see it through. This year’s Global Forum in Bali showed what is possible when political commitment is matched with resources and innovation. And country stories, from new vaccine rollouts to expanded treatment capacity, illustrate the progress already taking shape when action reaches every community.
Yet our shared goal is still ahead. Many still lack access to HPV vaccination, screening, and timely treatment. These are gaps we know how to close, if we sustain investment, apply proven strategies, and put equity at the centre of every decision.
I invite all of us — partners, policymakers, health workers, advocates, and communities alike — to use the first official World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day this November as a moment to recommit. Let us make visible the progress achieved, address the barriers that remain, and show the world that elimination is not only possible, but within our reach when we work together.
Dévora Kestel
Director a.i., Noncommunicable Diseases & Mental Health
World Health Organization
Global HPV vaccine coverage holds steady, but scale-up remains a priority
WHO and UNICEF’s 2024 immunization coverage estimates show that global first dose HPV vaccine coverage has increased to 31%. While this marks strong progress, it remains far from the 90% coverage target set by the WHO Global Strategy for the elimination of cervical cancer.
Currently, 149 countries have introduced the HPV vaccine for girls, with 82 also vaccinating boys. Over half of all countries globally have adopted the single-dose schedule, contributing to greater affordability and simplified delivery. Adoption is near universal in Gavi-supported countries.
Despite these gains, coverage remains uneven. Some countries have not yet introduced the vaccine, while others struggle to expand reach and sustain uptake. The report emphasizes the need for continued investment, political commitment, and delivery strategies — such as school-based programmes and primary health care platforms — to reach more adolescent girls.
More countries are adopting HPV vaccination, but reaching every girl will require faster scale-up and stronger political commitment.
17 November formally designated as World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day
At the 78th World Health Assembly, Member States designated 17 November as World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day, building on momentum generated since WHO’s global call to action in 2018 and the 2020 launch of the Global Strategy. The date now stands as an official moment to rally global advocacy, sustain political commitment, and drive forward the 90–70–90 targets.
Proposed by South Africa and Nigeria, and co-sponsored by over 60 Member States, the resolution affirms the elimination of cervical cancer as a shared public health priority. It calls for greater investment — particularly in low- and middle-income countries — and emphasizes the need for equitable access to primary prevention, screening, and treatment services.
“Cervical cancer could be the first cancer ever eliminated,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “I am inspired by the commitment shown by health ministers and delegates at the World Health Assembly to make this a reality.”
Since 2020, countries have marked 17 November through national launches, service rollouts, survivor advocacy, and landmark illuminations. Now officially on the global health calendar, the day offers a powerful platform to accelerate action.
This year’s theme — Act Now: Eliminate Cervical Cancer — highlights that each of our actions contributes to achieving the 90–70–90 targets. We invite you to take action on 17 November — and share your plans with us.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus joins health ministers from Member States that co-sponsored the resolution to designate 17 November as World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day, adopted at the 78th World Health Assembly to advance global action through HPV vaccination, screening, and treatment.
From commitment to action: countries unite to eliminate cervical cancer
This inspirational video shows how countries are taking bold action—from HPV vaccination to innovative screening and treatment—to make cervical cancer elimination a reality.
2025 Global Forum mobilizes new investments and private sector action for elimination
From 17 to 19 June, over 300 participants from across regions convened in Bali, Indonesia for the Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Forum, co-hosted by WHO, the Governments of Indonesia, South Africa, Australia, and Spain, alongside UNICEF, Unitaid, Gavi, the Gates Foundation, and the World Bank/ Global Financing Facility. Building on the 2024 Cartagena inaugural Forum, this year’s gathering emphasized the need to translate global momentum into country-level results ahead of 2030, with priorities including HPV vaccination scale-up, expanded screening and treatment, primary health care integration, and workforce capacity.
The Forum culminated in a series of concrete commitments from countries and partners. Indonesia pledged increased domestic investment in HPV vaccination, screening, and treatment services, while South Africa announced a national strategic framework for cervical cancer elimination prioritizing women living with HIV. Australia committed to strengthening regional capacity, and Spain pledged to advance rights-based prevention and control through its international cooperation strategy.
Unitaid announced an additional US$50 million investment raising its total to US$130 million — to accelerate access to HPV testing, pre-cancer treatment, and decentralized screening models across 18 countries in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean. For the first time, private sector partners joined to advance access to affordable, high-quality technologies aligned with national priorities.
Stories from regions/countries
Sierra Leone strengthens surgical capacity for cervical cancer through South–South collaboration
In June, four women underwent life‑saving cervical cancer surgery at Princess Christian Maternity Hospital in Freetown, through a South–South surgical training exchange led by the Ministries of Health of Sierra Leone and Zambia, with support from WHO and Friends of Africa, Inc. Building on 2024 in-country surgeries, clinicians from both countries performed live radical hysterectomies, led bedside coaching, and reviewed complex cases over five days.
"The collaboration, said Prof Groesbeck Parham, CEO of Friends of Africa Inc., shows “the impact possible when African professionals harness their collective skills to build sustainable, local solutions,” and challenges labels like 'resource-constrained' that can overlook the continent’s considerable expertise".
“This is an important step toward the 90‑70‑90 targets,” said Dr George Ameh, WHO Representative. “We are encouraged by the growing capacity of national teams and remain committed to supporting the Ministry of Health in building a sustainable cervical cancer programme.”
The effort addresses urgent treatment gaps, highlighted by survivor Christiana’s story, emphasizing the need to expand local surgical capacity.
Surgeons from Sierra Leone and Zambia perform cervical cancer surgery in Freetown through a South–South training exchange supported by WHO and Friends of Africa Inc.
Manar's story with HPV: The journey of a cervical cancer survivor
In this video, Manar Noufal shares her personal journey with cervical cancer and why she believes the HPV vaccine is key to protecting future generations.
Nepal introduces HPV vaccine nationwide to accelerate cervical cancer elimination
Nepal has launched the HPV vaccine into its national immunization programme, aiming to reach over one million girls aged 10-14 years. The nationwide rollout marks a major step forward in the country’s efforts to eliminate cervical cancer and builds on successful pilot introductions in Bagmati and Gandaki provinces.
Supported by WHO, Gavi, and UNICEF, the campaign mobilized schools, communities, and health workers to deliver accurate information and vaccination services. It also established plans for long-term planning to ensure sustained delivery to future cohorts of 10-year-old girls through routine immunization.
“This is not just a health intervention — it’s a promise to protect the future of our daughters,” said Nepal’s Minister of Health and Population, Pradeep Yadav.
Girls in Mustang proudly display their vaccination cards as Nepal launches nationwide HPV vaccination to protect over one million girls
Upcoming Events
24 September - Closing the Gap: Sustainable Financing for Cervical Cancer Elimination (Side event at the UN General Assembly, New York, United States; Organizers: BCIU, Roche, and MSD)
17 November - World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day
Help us showcase how countries and partners are marking the first official World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day. Share your plans with us so we can highlight activities and connect efforts across regions.
Resources and Publication Highlights
