Cancer Society to benefit from Australia’s High Commission grant

Grenada’s Cancer Society is among regional societies which stand to benefit from the Australian High Commission as it supports Caribbean Civil Society Cervical Cancer Prevention efforts.

The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) has been awarded a grant by the Australian High Commission Direct Aid Programme to fund a multi-country cervical cancer prevention initiative aimed at building the capacity of key Caribbean civil society actors to respond more effectively to the community-based needs for cervical cancer prevention, treatment and control.

Ambassador Ross Tysoe presenting the grant to Maisha Hutton,
Manager of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC), joined by
Professor Sir Trevor Hassell, President of the HCC (second from right);
Gail Niles, HCC volunteer (far left); and Ian Pitts, HCC IT Co-ordinator (far right).

At the HCC offices on Friday, November 29, 2013, Ambassador Ross Tysoe presented a cheque to the HCC for US$112 800 to fund five regional projects. The project will be implemented across five OECS countries.

The recipient organisations and countries are as follows: the Belize Cancer Society (BCS); the Dominica Cancer Society (DCS); the Grenada Cancer Society (GCS); the Cancer Institute of Guyana (CIG); and the Jamaica Cancer Society (JCS).

The Caribbean Civil Society Cervical Cancer Prevention Initiative (C4PI) seeks to improve the capacity of CSOs to positively impact the continuum of cervical cancer care and avert cervical cancer-related deaths.

The C4PI supports the PAHO “Regional Strategy and Plan of Action for Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control in Latin America and the Caribbean”, internationally and regionally agreed goal of 80 per cent coverage in cervical cancer screening by 2025, the WHO Best Buy Interventions, and the Declaration for Universal Access to Cervical Cancer Prevention.

Professor Sir Trevor Hassell, President of the HCC, in thanking Ambassador Tysoe, said: “This project exemplifies the role of the HCC as an organisation building the capacity of regional CSOs by adding value to their daily operations and directly impacting the achievement of their respective organisational missions.”


HCC Manager, Maisha Hutton, added: “The HCC is proud to assist member NGOs in this critical area of cervical cancer, through novel efforts aimed at reaching traditionally underserved women.”

A release from the HCC said that every year, over 500 000 women develop cervical cancer globally. In the Caribbean, 2 245 women die of cervical cancer each year; this translates to approximately six women dying every day – entirely unnecessarily. The Caribbean is among the top four highest sub-
regions in the world with respect to the incidence of cervical cancer and has the highest burden of HPV in the Americas.

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death among Caribbean women, with death rates several magnitudes higher than countries such as the USA. More than 95 per cent of cases of cervical cancer can be prevented. This requires widespread awareness, increased screening, and effective prevention and control measures that include Pap Tests, HPV testing, VIA (visual inspection using acetic acid) and vaccination against HPV. A C4PI project page is under construction and will be live soon, allowing you to follow progress under this initiative. (LS)