Limited access to vaccines, screening programmes, and treatment facilities continues to slow progress.

A study published in The Lancet warns that while high-income countries are on track to significantly reduce cervical cancer rates in the coming decades, many lower and middle-income nations could continue to face a heavy burden of the disease without stronger intervention.

Cervical cancer remains one of the most preventable forms of cancer, yet access to key tools such as vaccination and screening varies widely across regions. Experts note that nearly all cases are linked to infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus transmitted through intimate contact.

According to global health guidance from the World Health Organization, eliminating cervical cancer requires countries to meet the “90-70-90” targets by 2030. This includes vaccinating 90 percent of girls by age 15, screening 70 percent of women in adulthood, and ensuring treatment for 90 percent of those diagnosed with pre-cancer or cancer.

However, the study highlights that without increased investment in healthcare systems, many developing countries may struggle to achieve these benchmarks. Limited access to vaccines, screening programmes, and treatment facilities continues to slow progress.

Researchers caution that this uneven pace could widen global inequalities, leaving women in lower-income regions at greater risk from a disease that is largely preventable with timely intervention and sustained public health efforts.