New government plan to speed up elimination of cervical cancer

The central government has outlined a long-term plan to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer by 2030 via an initiative aimed at boosting vaccination rates among girls, stepping up screening efforts among women and offering more wide-ranging treatments to patients.

The action plan was put forward by 10 central government departments on Jan 21 as China seeks to curb incidences of the disease, reduce the death rate and alleviate the burden on the society.

The move came after the National Medical Products Administration, China's top drug regulator, announced a decision in August to expand the distribution of a vaccine against nine strains of the cancer-causing human papillomavirus made by global pharmaceutical giant Merck, to girls and women between the ages of 9 and 45.

China has so far piloted free HPV vaccinations in the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian and Hainan and in cities including Jinan in Shandong province, and Wuxi in Jiangsu province.

By 2025, China plans to pilot services that offer girls HPV vaccines, enabling 50 percent of women to receive screening services and 90 percent of women to be treated for cervical cancer or pre-cancer. By 2030, at least 70 percent of women will be screened for the disease, according to the plan.

It highlighted the need to promote knowledge of cervical cancer prevention and treatment, saying that migrant workers, those living in regions that have recently emerged from poverty and ethnic minorities in particular will be targeted by an awareness campaign.

To boost vaccination rates, the plan pledged to accelerate the approval for Chinese vaccines and amplify the role of schools in encouraging girls to get vaccinated.

Efforts to intensify cervical cancer screenings will be refined, including taking steps to offer screening to more women and prioritize the expansion of coverage to women who have never been screened.

The number of professionals devoted to cervical cancer prevention and treatment will be increased, and more work will be done to build up prevention and treatment capacity in central and western regions.

The plan also included steps to promote screening and treatment and to make use of the internet and artificial intelligence to refine service procedures.

About 100,000 women in China are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Hua Keqin, a physician at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, said that early discovery is key to the treatment of cervical cancer, and the unequal distribution of healthcare resources and lack of professionals and equipment at grassroots hospitals are major obstacles in national eradication efforts.

She said that regular screenings for women are still necessary even after vaccination, as there are still some strains of human papillomavirus against which vaccinations do not offer protection.