TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Health Promotion Administration hosted the APEC Conference on Cervical Cancer Elimination in Taipei on Friday, in collaboration with Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation economies.

Representatives from APEC countries discussed the latest progress and strategies in cervical cancer prevention, screening, and treatment. The conference saw participation from 13 APEC economies, with around 200 attendees from Australia, the US, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, and Taiwan, per the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The conference focused on the WHO's 2030 goal to eliminate cervical cancer, with particular emphasis on cervical cancer screening, the HPV vaccine, and cervical cancer treatment and care. Experts shared insights into how their countries are advancing these initiatives to reduce cervical cancer rates.

According to the World Health Organization, over 650,000 new cervical cancer cases were reported worldwide in 2022, resulting in nearly 350,000 deaths. In Taiwan, cervical cancer was once the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women.

Taiwan has been offering free annual Pap smear screenings for women aged 30 and older since 1995. The Pap smear is the most effective screening method for preventing cervical cancer, as it can detect abnormal cell changes in the cervix at an early stage, according to the Taipei Veterans General Hospital.

This initiative has significantly reduced cervical cancer incidence in Taiwan, from 25 cases per 100,000 in women to seven in 2021. Between 1995 and 2020, cervical cancer dropped from the leading cause of cancer among women to 10th place.

However, it still falls short of the WHO’s target of fewer than four cases per 100,000, prompting the HPA to expand screening efforts starting this year. New measures include free Pap smear screenings every three years for women aged 25 to 29, free HPV testing for women aged 35, 45, and 65, and HPV vaccination for junior high school boys, extending the program to both genders.

The HPA encourages all eligible women to undergo a Pap smear test every three years, emphasizing that the test takes only six minutes but can help prevent the onset of cervical cancer.