GEORGETOWN, GUYANA- February 2024- Guyana conducted the Human Papilloma Virus scientific conference on "Presenting the evidence on Cervical Cancer including HPV vaccination strategies to improve vaccination coverage". Present were Dr. Luis Codina, PAHO/WHO Representative, Guyana, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, Guyana, Dr Maurico Maza, Advisor, Cancer Prevention and Control, PAHO/HQ, Dr. Alvaro Whittembury, Regional Advisor Immunization Advisor, Comprehensive Immunizations, PAHO/HQ, Dr. Maria Paz Bertoglio, EPI Manager, Chile, Dr. Ana De Prada, Infectious Diseases, Immuno preventable Diseases, Argentina, Mr Oscar Vargas, Specialist, Revolving Fund for Vaccine and Access, Dr Karen Broome, Consultant, PAHO Barbados, Sub-Regional Office and Dr Janice Woolford, Specialist, Family and Community Health and Dr Karen Roberts, Specialist, Non communicable Diseases and Family Health, PAH0, Guyana.
The objectives of the three- day meeting were to:
1. Review the global, regional and local overview of the attributing factors of cancer prevention and the use of HPV as a prevention and control strategy.
2. Discuss strategies to increase the uptake and coverage of HPV vaccination as part of the cervical cancer prevention and elimination strategy.
3. Present the scientific updates on effective ness of HPV vaccines as a cancer prevention strategy, and the role of the PAHO Revolving Fund for Vaccines in ensuring availability of HPV vaccine.
4. Present evidence of lessons learned from Countries on HPV vaccine introduction and its impact on cancer reduction and prevention.
5. Review Strategies to improve HPV countries globally, regionally, and nationally.
Participants in this activity included health care providers responsible for the management and delivery of the national and regional immunization and cancer prevention and control programmes in Guyana, non-governmental and civil society organization.
A simple ceremony was held to mark the opening of this activity. Brief remarks were made by Dr Luis Codina, PAHO/WHO Representative, Guyana. Dr. Codina, in his remarks said "we need to focus on the objectives of the conference and identify the strategies we can use to inform the various groups through social communication. We may have a lot of challenges, but we must work together in disseminating the information on HPV from the evidence we have so that we can encourage the various groups to accept the HPV vaccines and save lives".
The feature address was made by the Honourable Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, Guyana. Dr. Anthony in his remarks said "our desire is to work on multiple fronts so that we bring relief to our population in relation to cancers. We have been actively working to reduce morbidity and mortality of chronic non-communicable diseases. What we noticed is breast cancer is the leading cancer among women and second is cervical cancer. If cervical cancer is the number two cancer among women and this is preventable by a vaccine, then we want to make sure that every child in this country is protected."
The HPV Scientific meeting was planned in recognition that cervical cancer is a growing concern for Guyana and is now considered one of the leading contributors to years of potential life lost. In an effort to address this growing concern in the region of the Americas, the Technical Advisory Group on Vaccination recommended that all countries in the Americas should introduce the HPV vaccine.
Guyana was one of the first countries of the Caribbean to pilot the HPV vaccine in girls 11-13 years old in 2012. By 2017, the country was able to expand HPV to both females and males aged 9-16 years. However, during COVID -19, the country faced several challenges and was unable to sustain and increase the HPV vaccination uptake due to the closure of schools.
Despite the expansion of the HPV vaccination programme to include all women up to 45 years, challenges still exist regarding acceptance of the vaccine.
PAHO will continue to support the development and implementation of strategies and initiatives aimed at increasing the uptake and coverage of HPV vaccination as part of the elimination strategy for cervical cancer in Guyana. It is anticipated that the evidence presented in the scientific meeting on the benefits of HPV vaccination combined with early screening, diagnosis and treatment of affected women will contribute to improvement in the HPV vaccination coverage to over 95% and a marked reduction in deaths due to cervical cancer.
PAHO/WHO Guyana will continue to provide technical support to the Ministry of Health to eliminate cervical cancer among women and girls and reduce HPV transmission and other complications in boys.
