We are determined to help eliminate cervical cancer in countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Vanuatu and Vietnam through the facilitation of vaccination programs for girls as well as screening and treatment programs for women.
We know that if caught early, cervical cancer is highly treatable and avoidable. In order to make that a reality, we have extended our vision to our neighbours in these countries to help save lives and reduce unnecessary trauma to families.
UK Cervical Cancer is partnering with ACCF which since 2007 has vaccinated over 31,000 girls and screened and treated thousands of women for cervical cancer.
This Himalayan country of 30 million people was the first country that ACCF started its working in back in 2008. Since then ACCF has facilitated the vaccination of thousands of Nepalese girls and screened thousands of Nepalese women.
In Nepal, ACCF is working with government and non-government organisations to educate communities on the benefits of vaccination and distribute the HPV cervical cancer vaccine free of charge to them. In 2009 the Nepal Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation (NACCF) was established as a local NGO to help facilitate these programs at a local level.
ACCF is also assisting the Nepalese Ministry of Health and Population to be able to implement a comprehensive Cervical Cancer Strategy which would include the screening of at least 50% of women in Nepal over the next 5 years. ACCF will also support the Ministry in its preparations for an eventual rollout of a staged National HPV Vaccination Program with the support of the Global Alliance for Vaccine Immunization (GAVI). As well as these Programs, ACCF and NACCF are running community education and awareness programs in Nepal so that women are educated about the causes of cervical cancer and how it can be prevented.
ACCF has also constructed a Women’s Clinic in the town of Banepa which will act as a base for the mobile vaccination and screening camps and also provide premises for nurses and vaccinators to be trained.
UK Cervical Cancer is partnering with ACCF which since 2009 has facilitated the vaccination of almost 100,000 Bhutanese girls in this magical Himalayan Kingdom where success is measured through their Gross National Happiness Index – nothing makes Bhutan happier than having healthy girls and healthy women. After hearing about the work ACCF was doing in Nepal, Her Majesty The Royal Grandmother of Bhutan who has had family members affected by cervical cancer, encouraged ACCF to expand its work to Bhutan.
In 2009 ACCF launched a vaccination pilot program with the support of AXIOS. Following the success of this, in 2010 ACCF with our partners, the Bhutan Ministry of Health and Merck, launched the first National HPV Vaccination Program in a developing country. This program was made possible with the support of Her Majesty The Royal Grandmother and received a special commendation for corporate responsibility at the Public Affairs Asia Gold Standard Awards in Hong Kong in 2011.
