CHAI and Unitaid have published a white paper that provides comprehensive guidance to countries seeking to integrate thermal ablation (TA) devices into national cervical cancer prevention health programs.
The paper covers policy adaptations, regulatory approvals, training, and cost considerations for integrating TA into health systems. Moreover, it details strategies for optimizing service delivery and increasing patient uptake.
The paper draws on CHAI’s multi-country implementation experience, supported by Unitaid, in assisting countries to introduce and scale up thermal ablation for treating precancerous cervical lesions. It builds on a whitepaper published in 2022, documenting country early experiences with introducing thermal ablation..
Rolling out thermal ablation
In 2018, Unitaid announced a US$70 million investment in CHAI and the SUCCESS group, in partnership with 14 Ministries of Health, to increase access to screening and treatment for cervical precancers. More than five years later, the programs have supported partner countries to screen at least 1.5 million women and made over 6,000 TA devices available in public health systems in 28 countries across Asia, Africa, and South America. The scale of this investment enabled Unitaid and CHAI to negotiate an access pricing agreement with two key TA manufacturers, reducing the cost of TA devices by approximately 45 percent compared to market price and stabilizing the market. In addition, the programs have helped train at least 11,000 health workers in screening and treating women for cervical precancer. Partner governments have integrated TA devices into national screening and treatment guidelines and clinical curricula. They have also established clinical mentorship and supportive supervision structures to strengthen skills and service delivery.
Benefits of thermal ablation
TA devices are easy to use, battery-powered, and suitable for primary healthcare facilities and outreach settings. Health authorities in nine countries have placed over 85 percent of deployed devices at primary or secondary health facilities. This has decentralized treatment and reduced loss to follow-up
Various cadres of healthcare providers can operate TA devices, enabling task shifting and expanding the number of providers qualified to deliver precancer treatment, thereby improving access to lower-level health facilities.
Treatment with TA devices costs just one-fourth of cryotherapy. This makes it a more affordable and sustainable option for expanding access to cervical precancer treatment.
With TA proving to be a cost-effective, scalable alternative to cryotherapy, this resource supports countries in accelerating progress toward the WHO’s goal of eliminating cervical cancer.
