Cervical cancer is the number one cancer killer of women in sub-Saharan Africa, with roughly 110,000 women diagnosed annually; of these women, about 66% will die from the disease.
Women living with HIV are up to six times more likely to develop persistent precancerous lesions and progress to cervical cancer, often with more aggressive form and higher mortality.
Launched in May 2018 to address this challenge, Go Further is an innovative public-private partnership between the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the George W. Bush Institute, UNAIDS, Merck, and Roche. The partnership collaborates closely with governments to strategize on ways to provide services for women from prevention through the cancer journey. As of fiscal year 2022, Go Further provides services in 12 countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The objectives are to screen all women living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy between the ages of 25 and 49 for cervical cancer, and to treat pre-invasive cervical cancer lesions to prevent progression to cervical cancer.
