Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally, with an estimated 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths in 2020. About 90% of the new cases and deaths worldwide in 2020 occurred in low- and middle-income countries. The main cause of cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is mainly transmitted through sexual contact and can be prevented by vaccination and screenin.
However, many women in resource-limited settings lack access to these preventive measures and to timely diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer. Therefore, building the capacity of health workers, especially community health workers (CHWs), is crucial in curbing the disease and saving lives.
CHWs are volunteers who provide basic health services and education to their communities, often in remote and underserved areas. They can play a key role in raising awareness about cervical cancer, promoting HPV vaccination, screening and referral of women with pre-cancerous lesions, and providing support and palliative care to women with advanced cancer.
To perform these tasks effectively, CHWs need adequate training and education that align with the population needs, health systems and health labour markets. The World Health Organization (WHO) supports countries to review policy options, regulatory frameworks, management and information systems for human resources for health, and education systems that can meet current and future needs of communities.
The WHO also coordinates the Global Health Workforce Network Education Hub, which brings together a collaboration of networks, agencies, academic institutions and individual experts to work collaboratively towards the development and dissemination of products that facilitate better alignment of student selection, pre-service and in-service education and training with population needs, health systems and health labour markets.
One of the products of the Education Hub is the Global Competency Framework for Universal Health Coverage, which defines the core competencies that health workers need to deliver quality health services to all people, regardless of where they live or what health conditions they have.
In addition, there are various online and offline courses and programs that offer training and learning opportunities for CHWs and other health workers on cervical cancer prevention and control. For example, Coursera offers a course on Training and Learning Programs for Volunteer Community Health Workers, which reviews the process of planning training and continuing education activities for village volunteers, drawing on real-life examples from different programs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also provides training and education resources for the workforce, including short-term training programs for professionals on topics such as cancer prevention and control, epidemiology, and health communication.
Furthermore, the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) lists several certification and training programs for CHWs and their supervisors, covering areas such as care coordination, community health, and care transitions.
By investing in the training and education of health workers, especially CHWs, countries can enhance their capacity to prevent and control cervical cancer, and ultimately achieve universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.