Even as it continues efforts to eliminate cervical cancer, Southeast Asia (SEA) is facing a major challenge.
In an insight article on its website, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) noted that the true challenge is not in a lack of innovation, but rather, finding ways to finance interventions and make them available. As
According to the ADB, limited funds for prevention, coupled with a bigger focus on late-stage treatment, has historically placed a heavier financial burden on households and contributed to unequal access to care.
As such, it highlighted that countries “must ring fence insurance revenues for preventive care to ensure resources are available for prevention”. The ADB also cited Thailand’s free HPV self-sampling, and the Philippines’ YAKAP models as examples of scalable approaches.
“Public insurance pools offer reduced information asymmetry and adverse selection, making universal health coverage a viable vehicle for elimination, the article stated.
“Reorienting financing toward screening and accessible diagnostics is both economically efficient and socially equitable.”