Australia on track to become first country to eliminate cervical cancer

A future without cervical cancer may be possible, as Australia moves closer to becoming the first country in the world to eliminate the disease through vaccination and early screening.

Australia is on track to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue by 2035 or even earlier, marking what would be a world-first in cancer prevention.

The breakthrough has been driven by the development of Gardasil, a vaccine created by Australian scientists that protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV) — the main cause of cervical cancer.

Australia became the first country to roll out a national HPV vaccination programme in 2007, and expanded the programme to include boys in 2013 to help reduce the spread of the virus.

The country has also strengthened early detection by replacing traditional Pap smears with more sensitive HPV-based cervical screening, which is now carried out every five years, while women are also being given the option of collecting their own screening samples, a move that has improved access and participation.

The results have been significant.

Since 1982, cervical cancer cases and deaths in Australia have been cut by half, and in 2021, the country recorded no cervical cancer cases in women under the age of 25 for the first time.

However, health experts say challenges remain, particularly for Indigenous communities, where cervical cancer rates remain higher and access to healthcare continues to be a barrier.

Concerns have also been raised about vaccine hesitancy, missed school vaccinations and rising medical costs, which could slow progress.

Australia is now helping neighbouring Pacific nations such as Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea strengthen their cervical cancer prevention programmes, as global efforts intensify to eliminate the disease.

Experts say the push to wipe out cervical cancer is unlike anything seen before in global health — the first time the world has set out to eliminate a form of cancer entirely.

For Fiji, the development reinforces the importance of HPV vaccination, regular screening and early detection in protecting women’s health and saving lives.

(Source: BBC NEWS)