Dear HIFA colleagues,
As we celebrate World Evidence-Based Healthcare Day today, here is an overview for a recent WHO publication (July 2026), which can be freely downloaded here: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240124172
"This guidance supports countries in implementing human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA-based cervical cancer screening programmes in line with WHO recommendations and the Global Strategy to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem. It addresses the challenges of transitioning from visual inspection with acetic acid or cytology-based screening to HPV-based screening by presenting evidence-informed implementation strategies that strengthen programme adoption, service delivery, sustainability and scale-up. Developed through systematic reviews, qualitative interviews with programme stakeholders, evidence from multinational implementation initiatives and WHO consultations, the guidance applies implementation science and systems thinking to identify practical approaches for different health system contexts.
"The document organizes implementation strategies across health system, health-care provider and community levels, focusing on four key implementation outcomes: adoption of WHO recommendations, uptake of screening and treatment services, retention of women who screen positive throughout the continuum of care, and long-term sustainability and expansion of programmes. It also considers implementation for women living with HIV and provides indicators together with a planning and documentation tool to support the selection, monitoring and evaluation of implementation strategies. By facilitating systematic documentation of implementation experiences, the guidance aims to strengthen the evidence base for implementation research and accelerate progress towards equitable, effective and sustainable HPV-based cervical cancer screening programmes."
==
Were you involved in the development of this guidance or have you used it in your work? We invite your comments. Email: hifa@hifaforums.org
What other guidance is available from WHO? This morning I discovered the Cervical cancer elimination initiative knowledge repository which would appear to collate all these documents but when I tried the URL I received a 'This site can’t be reached': https://cceirepository.who.int/ Please can our colleagues at WHO help?
Many thanks, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org