Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, we encourage everyone to learn more about cervical cancer and to support efforts that make a difference in women’s lives.

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide Globally, 473,000 new cases and more than 250,000 deaths due to cervical cancer are reported each year. More than 85% of those cases occur in low-resource countries, where less than 5% of women have ever had a Pap test.

On the surface these statistics seem daunting; the good news is that we have the tools to make a difference today.

For more than 10 years, Jhpiego has been working with limited-resource countries around the world to provide them with low-cost, effective solutions to help save women’s lives by preventing cervical cancer. These innovations include visual inspection using dilute acetic acid (vinegar) to detect precancerous lesions on the cervix, followed by treatment using a freezing technique (cryotherapy) to destroy the lesions in the same visit. Evidence shows that our Single Visit Approach (SVA) has a significant impact on reducing incidence and deaths from cervical cancer.

When SVA is combined with the new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, the lives of thousands of women can be saved.

During Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, we encourage everyone to learn more about cervical cancer and to support efforts that make a difference in women’s lives.