APEC Charts Path to Eliminate Cervical Cancer

APEC economies renewed their commitment to eliminating cervical cancer, launching The Roadmap to Accelerate Cervical Cancer Elimination in APEC Economies 2026-2030 at the High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy in Seoul on September 16. The roadmap builds on more than a decade of regional cooperation and responds to the urgent need to close persistent gaps in prevention, screening and treatment.

The roadmap, developed in consultation with member economies, experts, and partners, aligns with the World Health Organization's 90-70-90 targets, which remain unmet across the region, and draws on lessons from the 2020-2025 plan to accelerate progress toward elimination by 2030.

"Cervical cancer still remains an ever-present threat to the health of many women. I hope that this roadmap can help paint a picture of a healthier future for every woman in the region," said Jeong Eun-kyeong, Minister of Health and Welfare of the Republic of Korea in his opening remarks at the launch.

Human papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer, remains widespread in the Asia-Pacific, where disparities in vaccination coverage, screening access, and treatment availability continue to leave millions of women at risk. Addressing these inequities is central to the new roadmap.

Over the past decade, APEC economies have expanded HPV vaccination programs, strengthened screening and treatment services, and developed comprehensive elimination strategies. The new roadmap will strengthen these efforts by reaffirming APEC's commitment to cervical cancer elimination, supporting economies to overcome policy and operational barriers, showcasing and scaling best practices, and guiding economies to adapt strategies to their local contexts.

Dr Carlos Luis Vela Barba, Chair of the APEC Health Working Group, which oversees the initiative, emphasized that cervical cancer elimination must remain a central focus on the region's health agenda to close health gaps and promote resilient economies.

"This roadmap reflects the collective will of our economies to move from ambition to action," said Dr Vela Barba. "By strengthening health systems, mobilizing sustainable financing, and ensuring that women in the Region have access to prevention and treatment, we can make cervical cancer elimination a reality. Together, we have both the responsibility and the opportunity to achieve this historic milestone."

The roadmap will guide both domestic and collective action through 2030, aiming to bridge existing gaps and achieve a historic milestone: the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health threat across the APEC region.

Access to the Roadmap to Accelerate Cervical Cancer Elimination

Also access the factsheet

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