High-level Panel Event 2023

International HPV Awareness Day High Level Panel Event:

One Less Worry – improving access to screening to prevent HPV-related cancer

The International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS) invites you to participate in our live and free webinar on Friday, March 3rd, 2023 to commemorate International HPV Awareness Day Campaign 2023 and to celebrate the mobilization of effort around the world to eliminate HPV and prevent HPV-cancer.

Join the conversation with our global panel of experts as we discuss strategies and priorities to improve screening and prevention of HPV-related cancers.

Moderator:

• Tamika Felder, Broadcaster, cervical cancer survivor and founder of Cervivor

IPVS host:

• Prof Joel Palefsky, Chair, International HPV Awareness Campaign & IPVS Advocacy Campaign Committee

Panellists:

• Her Excellency Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, First Lady Kebbi State, Cancer Advocate, Nigeria
• Anil Chaturvedi, National Cancer Institute Dept for Epidemiology and Genetics working to advance screening to support early identification and management of HPV-related head and neck cancer, USA/India
• Prof Lynette Denny, Chair and Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Cape Town and winner of the 2016 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Medal of Honour Award for outstanding contributions to cancer research, particularly in relation to work on cervical cancer prevention among disadvantaged communities, South Africa
• Milicent Kagonga, cervical cancer survivor, HPV advocate and founder Symbol of Hope Warriors, Kenya
• Lillian Kreppel, anal cancer survivor/thriver, HPV Cancers Alliance, USA
• Dr Mosamat Umma Kulsum, Senior Program Specialist, Friendship Health working to advance access to cervical screening, Bangladesh

TOPIC
Each year roughly 600,000 people across the world are diagnosed with one of the six identified types of HPV-related cancer. Cervical cancer alone takes the lives of over 300,000 women per year, a statistic that is even more devastating because it’s largely preventable.

Screening is a critical cancer prevention tool and cervical screening is one of three pillars identified in the WHO global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer. There are however significant gaps in access to cervical screening both domestically and globally. Delivering effective cervical screening programs and crucially being able to follow up with effective preventive treatment requires a level of health system development that poses real challenges to healthcare systems in lower income countries.

A number of innovative approaches and new technologies have created the potential to reduce HPV related cancer burden not just for cervical but for also for anal and head and neck cancer. Capitalizing on the opportunities these provide will be key to reducing the global cancer burden and achieving SDG3.