Focusing on Women's Cancers

Breast and cervical cancer are pressing threats to women and health systems in the Asia Pacific APAC) region. A new multisectoral collaboration and a powerful analysis of six countries’ breast and cervical cancer prevention and care capacity are generating momentum to save lives and contribute to a global health movement.

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Asia accounts for 45 per cent of global breast cancer cases and 58 per cent of global cervical cancer deaths. New cervical cancer diagnoses in the region are projected to rise by 18.9 per cent by 2030, with deaths increasing by almost 25 per cent, while breast cancer diagnoses in the region are projected to rise by 20.9 per cent and deaths by 27.8 per cent in that same period. These rates are tracking higher than anticipated global rates of increase, sounding the alarm for policy makers, funders and civil society partners alike to act, as behind these alarming statistics lie the disheartening individual stories of women and their families.

In addition to grappling with the physical challenges of cancer, women also confront significant emotional, psychological, and financial strains. Because these diseases also carry the risk of stigma, they place a burden on women who are unable or unwilling to share their health challenges with others. Beyond these psychosocial impacts, women who must leave the workplace due to illness, or as caretakers, must contend with financial constraints resulting from lost income and compounded by catastrophic out of pocket payments on health care. Such scenarios can often pull families into cycles of poverty and impact future generations.

Investing in women’s cancer