Multisectoral Group for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Mozambique - WHO Compendium Report on Multisectoral Action

The Multisectoral Group for Cervical Cancer Elimination was established in 2020 to develop a roadmap for the elimination of cervical cancer in Mozambique, and coordinate the implementation of policies and programmes on the prevention of cervical cancer. The Ministry of Health is the coordinator of the group, which is composed of staff from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Action, Office of the First Lady and WHO. The Office of Central Government, represented by the Office of the First Lady, is leading advocacy campaigns to promote awareness of cervical cancer and mobilize funding for action. Civil society organizations and communities are working to raise awareness of cervical cancer and mobilize communities to adopt healthy behaviours. Considerable progress has been made in addressing the elimination of cervical cancer. For example, the human papillomavirus vaccine has been included in the expanded immunization programme and introduced at school to vaccinate girls and raise awareness of cervical cancer among teachers, students and their families. Additionally, primary prevention services have been introduced to screen for and treat cervical cancer precursor lesions, with a focus on quality and coverage, which has led to increased uptake of cervical cancer screening. Monitoring and evaluation of multisectoral collaboration are crucial to ensure continued progress in implementing multisectoral plans and actions. Dissemination of cancer-related information and awareness-raising campaigns in local languages would help increase understanding and avoid stigma and discrimination.

This country story is a brief excerpt taken from the detailed country case study in the WHO Compendium report on multisectoral actions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions. Read the full report or access the country story via below link.