PAHO alliance boosts fight against cervical cancer in region

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has signed a technical co‑operation agreement with Madrid-based Fundación Mundo Sano to strengthen efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of diseases and advance cervical-cancer prevention across the Americas, including the Caribbean.

The agreement was signed at the foundation’s headquarters by PAHO’s director, Jarbas Barbosa, and Silvia Gold, Mundo Sano’s president.

“This partnership reflects a conviction that we deeply share; that the most complex public health challenges can only be addressed through long-term vision and a people-centered approach,” said Dr Barbosa.

PAHO said the collaboration will focus on generating and sharing technical knowledge on integrated health services to accelerate the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and Chagas disease under its EMTCT Plus+ initiative. It will also explore ways to strengthen cervical-cancer prevention across the region.

Under the deal, Fundación Mundo Sano will provide technical expertise on mother-to-child transmission and support the integration of cervical-cancer prevention into related health interventions. PAHO will facilitate technical exchanges, share regional and global guidance, and support analysis and dissemination of lessons learned.

“We hope this first phase of work will be the beginning of an even broader collaboration capable of generating evidence, inspiring new solutions, and contributing to our shared goal of building a healthier and more equitable Americas for all,” the PAHO director said.

EMTCT Plus+ is a PAHO-led regional initiative aimed at eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and Chagas disease, while strengthening maternal and child health services. It promotes integrated, people-centred approaches to improve access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.

Cervical cancer remains a major public-health challenge in the Americas. Regional efforts focus on expanding access to HPV vaccination, screening, early detection and timely treatment as part of the broader goal of eliminating the disease as a public-health threat.

-CMC