Who We Are
The Alliance consists of eight partner organizations, brought together by their capabilities and experience in global cervical cancer prevention.
- EngenderHealth
- IAEA/PACT (International Atomic Energy Agency's Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy)
- IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer)
- Jhpiego
- PAHO (Pan American Health Organization)
- Partners in Health
- PATH, Alliance coordinating agency
- UICC (Union for International Cancer Control)
EngenderHealth
EngenderHealth is one of the largest nonprofit organizations dedicated to making reproductive health care accessible to women and men around the world. Headquartered in New York City, EngenderHealth works globally to improve the lives of individuals by making reproductive health services safe, available, and sustainable. Within the Alliance, EngenderHealth plays a key role both in studying the safety and efficacy of screening and treatment technologies and in developing appropriate, sustainable service delivery approaches.
Improving cervical cancer screening and treatment
EngenderHealth is collaborating with Columbia University and the University of Cape Town on a multi-phase clinical trial to investigate the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of two alternative approaches to cervical cancer prevention—visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) of the cervix and HPV DNA testing followed, when indicated, by immediate cryotherapy treatment performed by midlevel providers (nurses). This work has led to other research exploring: (1) the cost effectiveness of different prevention approaches; (2) client perspectives on screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cervical abnormalities; and (3) the effectiveness of multi-media approaches on community awareness of cervical cancer and its prevention.
Program design, implementation, and evaluation
Together with local partners in South Africa and Bolivia, EngenderHealth is working to assess cervical cancer prevention services and develop, test, and evaluate methods to improve them. Efforts include setting up all systems needed for screening, establishing mechanisms to reach the target community, and developing effective quality-assurance procedures and guidelines. In addition, EngenderHealth has developed a quality improvement tool for cervical cancer prevention services that enables facility-based staff to identify problems and simple solutions in order to strengthen the quality of care that they provide.
Male involvement in cervical cancer prevention
Men’s attitudes and behaviors can be important factors that inhibit or encourage women to access cervical cancer prevention services. EngenderHealth has been exploring ways to involve men as supportive figures during the prevention process.
For more information on EngenderHealth and its work, see the EngenderHealth website (www.engenderhealth.org) or contact Dr. Mark Barone, D.V.M., M.S., at [email protected].
The International Atomic Energy Agency's Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT)
The International Atomic Energy Agency's Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy
Under Article II of it statute, the IAEA's mandate is to seek to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world. Anchored by its strong technical expertise, the IAEA has acquired unrivalled experience in the delivery of radiotherapy, diagnostic imaging and nuclear medicine procedures to developing countries over the past 30 years. Providing assistance in all relevant aspects, including planning, training, econometric analysis, implementation, radiation protection, safety and security, the IAEA supports the safe, effective and sustained implementation of radiotherapy and nuclear medicine services.
Supported by such essential programmatic and laboratory contributions, the IAEA's technical cooperation programme has already delivered over $200 million of radiotherapy and nuclear medicine projects since 1980. In recent years, the funding of activities in this area has reached nearly $15 million annually. Supplemented by cancer-related scientific and technical activities carried out under the regular programmes of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security and the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, this technical assistance has enabled many countries to establish safe and effective diagnostic and radiotherapy capabilities to provide higher quality treatment to at least a portion of their cancer patients. However, there remain more than 30 countries worldwide with no capacity to provide radiotherapy and still more countries with limited services where the life-saving impact of radiotherapy is not realized because the patients present for treatment with cancers too far advanced for curative therapy.
With a cancer epidemic looming in developing countries, the existing infrastructure is far from adequate to respond to the growing demand. At the same time, the IAEA recognizes that the public health benefit from its cancer-related activities can only be maximized if planned and coordinated within the context of national cancer control strategies. Investments in cancer control need to be made by national governmental and non-governmental bodies and other international organizations to enhance capacity across the continuum of cancer control, including surveillance, prevention, early detection and diagnosis, clinical, surgical and medical oncology, as well as cancer policy analysis and formulation, advocacy and management. Other challenges, such as infrastructure gaps in education and training of professionals, and community-based civil society action to combat cancer must also be addressed. In affluent countries, comprehensive national cancer control programmes — including prevention and early detection, coupled with a judicious mixture of treatment such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy — now result in increased health awareness and prevention, and the cure of 45% of all cancers. When cure is no longer possible, palliative care is available to all patients to alleviate suffering. Developing countries deserve the same!
For more information, contact PACT at [email protected].
International Agency for Research on Cancer
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is an affiliated research center of the World Health Organization. IARC's mission is to coordinate and conduct research on the causes of human cancer and the mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and to develop scientific strategies for cancer control.
Cervical cancer epidemiology and prevention
IARC has been active in a number of studies assessing the role of HPV in cervical cancer. In the 1990s, IARC coordinated several key studies of cervical cancer prevention approaches, including visual inspection, in developing countries such as India and Costa Rica. Within the ACCP, IARC provides a valuable resource for cervical cancer epidemiological data, and is playing a key role in clarifying the safety and effectiveness of visual inspection for screening/treatment decisions in India (where a quarter of all cervical cancer deaths occur).
For more information on IARC's work in cervical cancer prevention, see the IARC website (http://screening.iarc.fr) or contact R. Sankaranarayanan, M.D. at [email protected].
Jhpiego
Jhpiego is a nonprofit corporation working to improve the health of women and families throughout the world. Through advocacy, education, and performance improvement, Jhpiego helps host-country health policymakers, educators, and service providers increase access and reduce barriers to quality reproductive health services.
Alternative approaches to cervical cancer screening
Since 1989, JHPIEGO has been exploring the feasibility of several low-cost alternatives for cervical cancer prevention, with particular emphasis on visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and cryrotherapy. JHPIEGO is committed to carrying out SAFE (safety, acceptability, feasibility, and program effort) demonstration projects involving the single-visit approach that can be applied to the poorest, most under-served regions in the developing world.
Within the ACCP, JHPIEGO's projects play a key role in clarifying issues important to ensuring the safety and effectiveness of the single visit approach. Currently, it is implementing two large SAFE demonstration projects in Thailand and Ghana. Given its extensive experience in developing and implementing appropriate reproductive health training programs worldwide, JHPIEGO also plays an important role in developing and standardizing training approaches for cervical cancer prevention services.
For more information on JHPIEGO's work in cervical cancer prevention, see JHPIEGO's website (www.jhpiego.org) or contact Ricky Lu, M.D., M.P.H. at [email protected].
Pan American Health Organization
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is an international public health agency with more than 90 years of experience in working to improve health and living standards of the countries of the Americas. It serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization, and enjoys international recognition as part of the United Nations system.
Since 1995 PAHO has identified cervical cancer as one of its priority areas of disease prevention and control in the Americas. PAHO's emphasis has been on improving the quality of cytology services in several countries, encouraging the participation of women in cervical cancer screening programs, and developing and implementing guidelines for cervical cancer management.
Within the ACCP, PAHO's extensive network of government and other contacts in the region helps ensure that Alliance projects proceed in concert with local needs and expectations. PAHO also plays a key role in advocating for effective cervical cancer prevention approaches throughout the region. They have sponsored regional meetings on cervical cancer and are working in Peru, El Salvador, and other Latin American countries to evaluate the safety and cost-effectiveness of cervical cancer screening and treatment approaches.
For more information on PAHO's work, see the PAHO website (www.paho.org) or contact Sylvia Robles, M.D., MSc, at [email protected]. The World Health Organization website address is www.who.int.
Partners in Health
At its root, the Partners in Health (PIH) mission is both medical and moral. It is based on solidarity, rather than charity alone. When a person in Peru, or Siberia, or rural Haiti falls ill, PIH uses all of the means at our disposal to make them well—from pressuring drug manufacturers, to lobbying policy makers, to providing medical care and social services. Whatever it takes. Just as we would do if a member of our own family—or we ourselves—were ill.
The five fundamental principles of PIH's work are:
- Access to primary health care
- Free health care and education for the poor
- Community partnerships
- Addressing basic social and economic needs
- Serving the poor through the public sector
The work of PIH has three goals: to care for our patients, to alleviate the root causes of disease in their communities, and to share lessons learned around the world. Through long-term partnerships with sister organizations, PIH brings the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need and work to alleviate the crushing economic and social burdens of poverty that exacerbate disease. PIH believes that health is a fundamental right, not a privilege.
Through service, training, advocacy, and research, PIH seeks to raise the standard of care for the poor everywhere.
For further information about PIH, please contact [email protected]
PATH
PATH is an international nonprofit organization that creates sustainable, culturally relevant solutions, enabling communities worldwide to break longstanding cycles of poor health. By collaborating with diverse public- and private-sector partners, PATH helps provide appropriate health technologies and vital strategies that change the way people think and act. PATH’s work improves global health and well-being.
As coordinating agency of the Alliance for Cervical Cancer Prevention, PATH works closely with ACCP partners to encourage intra-Alliance communication and collaboration and to coordinate information dissemination.
PATH is widely recognized for its experience in development, assessment, and introduction of new technologies. The burden of cervical cancer falls disproportionately on women in the developing world, but PATH is working to reduce that inequity, bringing renewed hope to women the world over. Currently, PATH's cervical cancer prevention team is working on methods of screening that do not rely on sophisticated laboratories and can deliver quick results. In addition, the organization is coordinating demonstration projects to introduce new HPV vaccines to protect women before they become infected.
For more information on PATH's work in cervical cancer, see PATH's website (www.path.org/cervicalcancer), the RHO Cervical Cancer website (www.rho.org), or contact Jacqueline Sherris, Ph.D., at [email protected].
Union for International Cancer Control
The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is the leading international non-governmental organization dedicated to the global prevention and control of cancer.
UICC’s mission is to connect, mobilize and support organizations, leading experts, key stakeholders and volunteers in a dynamic community working together to eliminate cancer as a life- threatening disease for future generations.
Founded in 1933, UICC unites over 300 member organizations, specialized and engaged in cancer control, in more than 100 countries across the world.
UICC is non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.
For more information about UICC, please email [email protected].
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