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For Immediate Release

September 16, 2024

Yap State Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Honored with the NACDD 2024 Community Impact Award (Chronic Disease Unit)

Yap, Federated States of Micronesia - PIHOA is proud to share that the Yap State Department of Health Services’ Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (YCCC) is receiving the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) 2024 Community Impact Award (Chronic Disease Unit). 


The NACDD mission is to improve the health of the public by strengthening state and national leadership and expertise for chronic disease prevention and control. This award is given to a team that has significantly impacted or influenced a community related to chronic disease prevention and control. 

The YCCC Program has remained strongly committed to its cervical cancer strategic goals for over 15 years. Several Pacific countries have high rates of cervical cancer and women are diagnosed with cervical cancer at late stages. The YCCC Program is approaching this issue through community outreach, health provider training, adoption of more resource-appropriate screening methods, and strengthening of data systems.

  1. In 2008-2009, they adopted a new strategy for cervical cancer detection, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), adapted training materials, and conducted a 3-month training for 18 health assistants and certified birthing attendants from the outer islands.
  2. In 2016, a randomized controlled trial was conducted among adult women aged 21-65 in Yap to compare cervical HPV DNA in self-collected urine and clinician-collected liquid cytology. Of these 217 women, 14% had abnormal cytology, and 1.4% had low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions.
  3. During the past 2 years, under the CDC-PIHOA program, they implemented a community-based project to screen underserved women aged 30-50 for cervical cancer using the primary HPV DNA test. Educational and informational tools were developed in Yapese, Ulithian, and Woleaian on primary HPV testing and self-collection. Medical training, community engagement training, current evidence-based diagnostic / treatment medical protocols, laboratory enhancement, and cervical cancer data system integration (canSCREEN) were provided to improve education outreach, cervical cancer screening, and management systems. In 24 months, the Yap Team reached 75% of their screening goal, with 1200 women screened via HPV self-collection test and a few provider-collection. Over 60% of the women indicated they had never been screened. Of the women screened, 168 women were HPV positive.

Based on current progress, the WHO goal of screening 70% of women for cervical cancer will be achieved by 2030. With improved vaccine and screening rates, cervical cancer elimination can be achieved by 2048. 

 

The NACDD will announce the Community Impact Awards during its 2024 Annual Business Meeting, which will be held on September 17, 2024, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).  

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About the Pacific Islands Health Officers' Association


PIHOA's mission is to improve the health and well-being of the USAPIs by providing, through consensus, a unified, credible voice on health issues of regional significance. Established in 1986, PIHOA is governed by and represents the collective interests of the USAPI health leadership from American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. 

 

PIHOA’s Secretariat, comprised of executive, administrative, and technical staff and consultants, provides support to the USAPI health agencies and leadership in the following priority areas: health workforce development; epidemiology and surveillance; health systems performance improvement; laboratory services; regional health leadership and policy advocacy; Pacific health security; and, partnership engagement and coordination. PIHOA has two offices in Honolulu, Hawai’i, and Hagåtña, Guam.


Contacts


Billie Hiraishi

Communications Officer

billieh@pihoa.org