Progress report for
United Nations Pacific Interagency Task Force on Noncommunicable Disease Prevention and Control (UN PIATF)
Achievement at a glance
As part of the UNPIATF, a cervical cancer task team comprised of WHO, UNFPA, Secretariat of the South Pacific (SPC), Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the Asia Development Bank (ADB) was formed to lead a Situation Analysis and Response on cervical cancer in the Pacific. The task team was formed in response to the decision by Forum Leaders in 2015 on the key priorities under the Framework for Pacific Regionalism (FPR) process, one of which was Cervical Cancer Screening and Prevention Policy and Programming.A draft report was produced with a focus on the current cervical cancer interventions in each 14 Pacific Island Countries of the Pacific Forum Secretariat (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu). The report explored the cost-benefit analysis of existing cervical cancer interventions and contains policy recommendations. It provides the Pacific Island Leaders of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat member countries with an insight of the interventions for cervical cancer prevention, treatment and management in each country through the collation of available policies, studies and reports. The report is due to be finalised in June, 2016.
Challenges faced in implementation
Funding was a major challenge with only PIFS able to provide funds for the Situation Analysis.Next Steps
The report will be tabled at the next forum leaders meeting on progress with initiation / implementation of the cervical cancer prevention programme in the Pacific due to take place in September 2016. A resource mobilisation drive will commence in order to support the initiation phase and or strengthening of screening programmes in the region. ADB had indicated that funds are available for human papillomavirus (HPV) programme and a proposal will be also be submitted.Beneficiaries
Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu