New Delhi, High-income countries are on track to eliminate cervical cancer by 2048, while low- and middle-income countries will see only slight reductions over the next century, according to a study published in The Lancet journal.
As a result, the gap between regions will widen dramatically, with women in LMICs facing much higher rates of this preventable disease, researchers said.
Almost all cervical cancer cases are linked to infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses, an extremely common virus transmitted through sexual contact, according to the World Health Organization.
The United Nations' health agency has set an elimination target of an incidence rate of under four cases per one lakh women.
Each country should meet '90-70-90' targets by 2030: 90 per cent human papillomavirus vaccine coverage among girls by age 15, 70 per cent of women screened by age 35 and then 45, and 90 per cent of women with pre-cancer and cancer treated.
Achieving the WHO's 90-70-90 goals could avert 37 million cervical cancer cases over the next century and accelerate progress toward elimination, researchers said.
However, the models suggest that many LMICs are unlikely to reach these targets without increased investment in elimination efforts, the team said.
