Two new WHO prequalification designations for cervical cancer

Allan Pamba, Executive Vice-President Diagnostics, Africa at Roche Diagnostics, shared on LinkedIn:

“Roche is now able to expand access to cervical cancer screening tools with two new World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification designations, including groundbreaking HPV self-collection, which makes testing more accessible and more comfortable for patients.

This prequalification enables low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to screen for HPV – the main cause of cervical cancer – as part of their national cervical cancer elimination programmes.

Cervical cancer is most common in low- and middle-income countries – many of which are in Africa – and it causes thousands of unnecessary deaths every year.

This is why, as per the WHO recommendation, women should be screened for cervical cancer every 5–10 years starting at age 30.

Women living with HIV, who are at higher risk, should be screened every three years, starting at age 25.

As we increase access to early diagnosis and spread awareness of the need for testing across our continent, we are getting ever closer to eliminating cervical cancer once and for all.”

Source: Allan Pamba/LinkedIn