THE Ministry of Health’s Maternal & Child Health Department on Tuesday convened a high-level HPV Scientific Conference at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel, as part of Guyana’s intensified efforts to combat Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and eliminate cervical cancer.

The event brought together a wide cross-section of health professionals, researchers, policy-makers, and stakeholders, united in their goal of strengthening the national response to HPV-related health challenges.
The conference aligns with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue.

Launched in 2020, the WHO strategy identifies three key targets for countries: vaccinating 90% of girls against HPV by age 15, screening 70 per cent of women by ages 35 and 45, and ensuring 90 per cent of women diagnosed with cervical disease receive effective treatment. Guyana is actively working to meet these goals and has launched several key initiatives to fast-track progress.

Among the most impactful of these is the HPV screening voucher programme, introduced earlier this year. The initiative enables women aged 21 to 65 to access free cervical screening services nationwide, an essential step in early detection and prevention.

In her remarks at the conference, Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton, Director of Family and Primary Healthcare, emphasised the transformative potential of the screening voucher programme.
“I don’t even think the Guyanese population truly understands how impactful it is to know your HPV status. If you know, you can act. But cervical cancer only becomes deadly when we do nothing,” she said. “Every healthcare worker has a task: ensure every eligible woman is screened, every child vaccinated, and every positive case treated.”

Calling for a more aggressive and unified national response, Dr. Hamilton likened Guyana’s development momentum to a Formula 1 race. “Our economy is on a racetrack—we’re in a Lewis Hamilton race, and that means we can’t take baby steps. We must take leaps and bounds to ensure our people are healthy enough to enjoy the wealth and progress of this nation.”

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to improving primary healthcare, enhancing public education, and ensuring that every girl and woman in Guyana has access to life-saving prevention and treatment services.
The HPV Scientific Conference served not only as a knowledge-sharing forum but also as a rallying call for action, marking another significant milestone in Guyana’s journey to eliminate cervical cancer and safeguard women’s health for generations to come.