The Ministry of Health’s Maternal & Child Health Department yesterday hosted a high-level HPV Scientific Conference at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel, bringing together health professionals, researchers, policy-makers, and key partners to strengthen the national response to Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer.
This conference comes at a crucial time as Guyana intensifies efforts to align with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) global strategy, launched in 2020, to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem. The WHO strategy outlines three key targets: vaccinating 90% of girls fully against HPV by age 15, screening 70% of women by age 35 and again by 45, and ensuring 90% of women with cervical disease receive effective treatment.
Countries worldwide are making progress, and Guyana is actively positioning itself to meet these global milestones. This is a major highlight of the local response to the HPV screening voucher programme, introduced in 2024, which allows women aged 21 to 65 to access free screening services.
In her brief remarks, Dr Ertenisa Hamilton, Director of Family and Primary Healthcare, emphasied the significance of the recently launched HPV screening voucher programme.
“I don’t even think the Guyanese population truly understands how impactful it is to know your HPV status. If you know, you can act. But cervical cancer only becomes deadly when we do nothing. Every healthcare worker has a task: ensure every eligible woman is screened, every child vaccinated, and every positive case treated.”
Dr Hamilton further urged participants not to let the event end with dialogue alone.“Our economy is on a racetrack, we’re in a Lewis Hamilton race, and that means we can’t take baby steps. We must take leaps and bounds to ensure our people are healthy enough to enjoy the wealth and progress of this nation”, she said.
The Ministry of Health reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening primary healthcare, boosting public awareness, and ensuring that every girl and woman in Guyana has the opportunity to live a long, healthy life.
Dr Onika Scott leading the HPV Scientific Conference
Health Official engaging in the HPV Scientific Conference