World Health Summit in Berlin on now. Cervical Cancer opens

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Cervical Cancer Elimination gets focus at World Health Summit

Fighting cervical Cancer

Fighting Cervical Cancer to its Elimination. Photo credit: Source data and image from CDC. New Art/Cropping/Enhancement: Rosa Yamamoto / Feminine-Perspective Magazine

The picture and its story: According to the US Centers for Disaese Control (CDC), “all women are at risk for cervical cancer. It occurs most often in women over age 30. Long-lasting infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer. HPV is a common virus that is passed from one person to another during sex. At least half of sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives, but few women will get cervical cancer. Screening tests and the HPV vaccine can help prevent cervical cancer. When cervical cancer is found early, it is highly treatable and associated with long survival and good quality of life.

Goodwill Ambassadors for Cervical Cancer Elimination

WHO’s Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on 16 October  appointed the Lacks family as WHO Goodwill Ambassadors for Cervical Cancer Elimination. The appointment recognizes their efforts to champion cervical cancer prevention and to preserve the memory of Henrietta Lacks, who died from cervical cancer in 1951.

Who is the Lacks Family and what is its relatonship to Cervical Cancer?

The conference agreed that Henrietta Lacks’ story is one of injustice, with the vast contribution she made to science hidden from the world for many years. While she sought treatment for her cancer, researchers took biopsies from her body without her knowledge or consent. The cells they took, known as HeLa cells, subsequently became the first “immortal” cell line – meaning they are the only cells which have continued to live outside the human body and replicate.

“Much like the injustice of Henrietta Lacks’ story, women all over the world from racial and minority ethnic groups face disproportionately higher risks from cervical cancer,” said Dr Tedros. “WHO’s goal is to eliminate cervical cancer, which means the innovations created with Henrietta Lacks’ cells must be made available equitably to all women and girls. We look forward to working with the Lacks family to raise awareness on cervical cancer and advance racial equity in health and science.”

Opening The World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany, Dr. Tedros thanked his German hosts and set out the events

“The first World Health Summit was held in 2009, which as you remember, was the same year that the world last experienced a pandemic, of H1N1 influenza,” noted Dr. tedros.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Tedros said  that i is “clear we need new and better tools to build a new and better architecture.”

Several parts of the architecture are already being constructed:

  • “Stronger financing through the newly-established Financial Intermediary Fund, as His Excellency the Chancellor indicated – and thank you for your generosity;
  • “Stronger global surveillance through the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, which opened here in Berlin last year;
  • “Stronger accountability through the Universal Health and Preparedness Review, which is now being piloted in four countries;
  • “And a stronger WHO, thanks to the historic commitment by Member States at this year’s World Health Assembly to make our financing substantially more predictable, flexible and sustainable.”

“A new agreement and a new architecture are essential,” Dr. Tedros said. “But we also need fundamental changes to the conditions that shape the health of the world’s people.”

“We live at a time when around the world, global peace is under threat, and must be protected and promoted with strong and principled leadership.”

“Equally, we live at a time when global health is under threat, and must be defended with equally strong and principled leadership, said Dr. Tedros.

“Over the next 48 hours, we have the opportunity to forge the path ahead together.

“Importantly this week, we also have the opportunity to commit the resources to finish the job of consigning polio to the history books,” continued Dr. Tedros.

“We have come so far. We’re so close. Now is the moment for all of us to work with determination, cooperation and innovation to give future generations the gift of a polio-free world.”

So what does it mean to take global health to the next level?

According to the WHO boss:

  1. A new global agreement;
  2. A new global architecture;
  3. And a new global approach.
  4. Because health is not a cost, it’s an investment;
  5. It’s not simply an outcome of development, but the means;
  6. It’s not a luxury, but a fundamental human right.
  7. As I often like to say, Gesundheit ist ein Menschenrecht!
  8. Vielen dank. I thank you.

In the spirit of taking global health to a new level…

Kicking off the World Healt Conference on Sunday, 16 Octovber 2022, in Berlin, Germany,   was a significant memorandum of understanding between two, large organizaritons promising global and regional structures designed to support national and local capacities and provide the right avenues for collaboration and coordination.

People can hopefully expect greater national public health capacity and capability to deliver health gains through prevention and promotion measures.

The World Health Organization and the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining their joint efforts to achieve their common objectives to strengthen public health functions and health emergency preparedness.

“Today’s agreement is an historic moment for both organizations,” said Professor Duncan Selbie, President of the IANPHI.  “Formalizing this aims to strengthen national public health capacity and capability to deliver health gains through prevention and promotion measures, and emergency preparedness and response. IANPHI with its member national public health institutes look forward to this agreement making a real difference to the public’s health.”

WHS 2022 aims to strengthen exchange, stimulate innovative solutions to health challenges, position global health as a key political issue and promote a global health conversation in the spirit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

WHO says it will will be deeply engaged in debates on topics such as:

RINJ Women salugte WHS

Click image to watch WHS Speaker List. The RINJ Foundation Salutes WHS Focus on Cervical Cancer Elimination. Go here to join sessions.
Art by: Rosa Yamamoto / Feminine-Perspective-Magazine