Guyana has taken a significant step forward in its efforts to eliminate cervical cancer with the completion of a week-long in-country mission of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), and experts from MD Anderson Cancer Center in support of the Ministry of Health (MOH). The mission, held from March 17–21, strengthened national capacity for HPV vaccination, screening, diagnosis, and treatment as Guyana works toward achieving the global 90-70-90 targets for cervical cancer elimination.
Cervical cancer remains one of the most significant public health challenges in Guyana and across the Caribbean. Driven mainly by human papillomavirus (HPV), the disease is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Guyana, with a mortality rate of 30.3 per 100,000 women in 2022. With the rollout of the universal HPV DNA testing voucher program in 2024–2025, more women than ever before were able to receive free, high-quality HPV testing close to home. This initiative resulted in 20,853 women being screened, which reflects growing national awareness and engagement in cervical cancer prevention. Although work continues to reach global targets, these achievements demonstrate a clear, positive shift toward earlier detection, greater equity in access, and improved long-term health outcomes for women across all regions of Guyana.
The visiting PAHO/WHO and MD Anderson team—led by Dr. Mauricio Maza, Regional Advisor for Cancer Prevention and Control—conducted stakeholder meetings, facility assessments, and clinical training sessions. Experts, including Dr. Kathleen Schmeler, Dr. Melissa Lopez Varon, Dr. Sarah Berger, Dr. Mila Salcedo, and Ms. Reina Guerrero, worked alongside national counterparts to strengthen Guyana’s cervical cancer program.
Key mission activities included:
- Enhancing HPV Testing Uptake: Reviewing voucher distribution, promoting HPV self-collection, and improving follow-up systems.
- Clinical Training: Providing hands-on training in colposcopy, thermal ablation, and LEEP to expand treatment capacity at primary and secondary levels.
- Vaccination Support: Identifying strategies to increase uptake of the nonavalent HPV vaccine in schools and communities.
- Data Strengthening: Supporting integration of HPV testing data into national health information systems to improve tracking and decision-making.
The mission culminated in a stakeholder consultation to review Guyana’s cervical cancer elimination strategy and outline a roadmap for scaling high-impact interventions.
The Ministry of Health, PAHO/WHO, and MD Anderson reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Guyana in achieving the WHO goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem.
