Investing in global cervical cancer prevention: Resources for low-income and lower middle-income countries in 2023

Effective, low-cost interventions to prevent and treat cervical cancer are available today, but far too many women in low-resource settings lack access to these lifesaving tools. Sufficient investment can change this reality and put the world on the path to ending this preventable killer of women around the world.

Resources for cervical cancer prevention, screening, and treatment remain insufficient to change the trajectory of this global epidemic. Better data on current investments in cervical cancer programs in low-income countries (LICs) and lower middle-income countries (LMICs) can inform decision-makers and provide a basis for advocacy for increased financial and political support.

TogetHER for Health publishes an annual analysis of funding for cervical cancer prevention in low-income countries (LICs) and lower middle-income countries (LMICs). Their newest report summarizes investments in HPV immunization and cervical cancer screening and treatment in LICs and LMICs from 2018 through 2023. 

Highlights: 

• In 2023, a total of US$202.8 million was invested in HPV vaccine programming in low- and lower middle-income countries, a year-to-year increase of 244.5% primarily attributed to a large increase in HPV vaccination investments by the funders of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
• US$54.9 million was invested in cervical cancer screen-and-treat programs in 2023, a significant year-to-year decrease of 18.2%.
• Estimated six-year funding for HPV vaccination (2018-2023) totaled US$548.1 million, an annual average of US$91.4 million.
• Between 2018-2023, total funding for cervical cancer screening and pre-cancer treatment totaled US$312.6 million, averaging US$ 52.1 million per year.
• These data are likely an underestimate given the difficulty of disaggregating cervical cancer investments from larger, integrated health programs. More transparency specific to cervical cancer investments is needed to ensure accountability at national and global levels.
• Funding remains grossly insufficient to achieve the World Health Organization’s targets for the scale-up of cervical cancer elimination targets by 2030