GENEVA / CERVICAL CANCER

New guidance from the World Health Organization aims to help countries better prevent and control cervical cancer. The disease is one of the world’s deadliest – but most easily preventable – forms of cancer for women, responsible for more than 270,000 deaths annually, 85 percent of which occur in developing countries. WHO / FILE

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:10
• Production Date: 2 December 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WHO
• Subject Topical: DISEASE PREVENTION; DISEASE CONTROL; MEDICINE; MEDICAL SCIENCES
• MAMS Id: 1256071

Description

STORY: GENEVA / CERVICAL CANCER
TRT: 2.10
SOURCE: WHO / FILE
RESTRICTIONS: EMBARGO 00:01 CET – GENEVA TIME, 3 DECEMBER 2014
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 26 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

26 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, WHO Headquarters exterior
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Marleen Temmerman, Director, Reproductive Health and Research, WHO:
“The new WHO Guidelines on Cervical Cancer they highlight three key points. One, lower dose for HPV vaccine, you only need two instead of three injections which is also cost saving. Number two, we have better methods for Cervical Cancer screening and early detection and number three, we have to focus on communication; communication not only to the women in reproductive age, but also to young girls for the vaccines and to the community at large.”

FILE - MARCH 2014, BRAZIL

3. Close up, HPV vaccination brochure
4. Wide shot, health workers talking to school girls

26 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Marleen Temmerman, Director, Reproductive Health and Research, WHO:
“Cervical cancer is a big problem if you know that every year, there are 270,000 women who are dying, which is 800 a day, of a disease that is actually highly preventable.”

FILE - MARCH 2014, BRAZIL

6. Med shot, health worker talking to school girls

26 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Marleen Temmerman, Director, Reproductive Health and Research, WHO:
“We have seen some progress in like Europe, US, thanks to better detection and HPV vaccine. We have lesser cases of cancer. But 85 percent of the women dying from cervical cancer are in developing countries so there, we have to do much more. We have the tools, we have the vaccine, we have the screening, but we have to make sure it is reaching all women, all over the world.”

FILE - MARCH 2014, BRAZIL

8. Various shots, girls being vaccinated

9. 26 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Marleen Temmerman, Director, Reproductive Health and Research, WHO:
“The good news is that now we have a vaccine against the virus that is causing cervical cancer and the vaccine is to be used by girls aged 9 to 13 before they become sexually active.”

FILE - MARCH 2014, BRAZIL

11. Med shot, health worker talking to school girl

Storyline

New guidance from the World Health Organization aims to help countries better prevent and control cervical cancer. The disease is one of the world’s deadliest – but most easily preventable – forms of cancer for women, responsible for more than 270,000 deaths annually, 85 percent of which occur in developing countries.

The new Comprehensive cervical cancer control: a guide to essential practice will be launched at the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit in Melbourne, Australia on 3 December 2014.

SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Marleen Temmerman, Director, Reproductive Health and Research, WHO:
“The new WHO Guidelines on Cervical Cancer they highlight three key points. One, lower dose for HPV vaccine, you only need two instead of three injections which is also cost saving. Number two, we have better methods for Cervical Cancer screening and early detection and number three, we have to focus on communication; communication not only to the women in reproductive age, but also to young girls for the vaccines and to the community at large.”

The new guidelines recommend Vaccinating 9 to 13-year-old girls with two doses of HPV vaccine to prevent infection with the Human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus responsible for most cases of cervical cancer. The reduced, 2-dose schedule has been shown to be as effective as the current 3-dose schedule. The change will make it easier to administer the vaccine.

SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Marleen Temmerman, Director, Reproductive Health and Research, WHO:
“Cervical cancer is a big problem if you know that every year, there are 270,000 women who are dying, which is 800 a day, of a disease that is actually highly preventable.”

Today, girls in more than 55 countries are protected by routine administration of HPV vaccine. Encouragingly, a growing number of low- and middle-income countries are introducing HPV vaccine in the routine schedule, with support from the GAVI Alliance.

SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Marleen Temmerman, Director, Reproductive Health and Research, WHO:
“We have seen some progress in like Europe, US, thanks to better detection and HPV vaccine. We have lesser cases of cancer. But 85 percent of the women dying from cervical cancer are in developing countries so there, we have to do much more. We have the tools, we have the vaccine, we have the screening, but we have to make sure it is reaching all women, all over the world.”

Instead of focusing mostly on encouraging the screening of women aged over 29, the guide recommends communicating with a wider audience: adolescents, parents, educators, leaders and people working at all levels of the health system, to reach women throughout their lives.

SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Marleen Temmerman, Director, Reproductive Health and Research, WHO:
“The good news is that now we have a vaccine against the virus that is causing cervical cancer and the vaccine is to be used by girls aged 9 to 13 before they become sexually active.”

An estimated one million-plus women worldwide are currently living with cervical cancer. Many have no access to health services for prevention, curative treatment or palliative care.