Malawi and HPV: Sustainable approaches to treatment

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is an extremely common viral infection, with more than 100 different variations. It can have serious consequeneces, however, including cervical cancer, which is caused by two variations of the disease in particular (Types 16 and 18). Malawi has the second-highest rate of cervical cancer in the world. In 2013, the Scottish Government provided funding to researchers aiming to reduce the burden of the disease in Malawi as part of a sustainable partnership between the two countries. Professor Heather A Cubie led research into a same-day ‘screen and treat’ programme to assess its suitability for use in low-resource countries such as Malawi, and discusses her research.