PAHO Secures Region-Wide HPV Test Access Deals
Agreements give Latin American and Caribbean countries lower-cost molecular HPV testing to help curb cervical cancer deaths.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Cancer
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The Pan American Health Organization has secured region-wide access agreements for molecular HPV tests across Latin America and the Caribbean. The deals are designed to make screening more affordable for countries that have faced some of the highest HPV test prices in the world.
Why it matters
Cervical cancer kills more than 40,000 women in the region each year, and HPV infection causes nearly all cases. Limited uptake of HPV testing has been tied to financial, technical and programmatic barriers, including high test costs.
More than 40,000 women die of cervical cancer each year in the region, and participating countries are projected to save 30 to 70 percent on molecular HPV tests through the new agreements. Sixteen countries and territories have already introduced HPV testing into their screening programs, but the timeline for expanded savings remains unspecified.
The players
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
PAHO is the regional office of the World Health Organization for the Americas and runs the Regional Revolving Funds that negotiated the test access agreements.
Unitaid
Unitaid is a global health initiative that funds innovations and programs to improve access to diagnostics and treatments in low- and middle-income countries.
The details
Through its Regional Revolving Funds, PAHO negotiated the agreements, which give participating countries preferential pricing and a support package covering implementation, equipment access, training, maintenance and technical assistance. Unitaid will separately support HPV implementation in El Salvador, Guatemala, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Saint Lucia.
Timeline
2013: PAHO/WHO first recommended HPV testing in cervical cancer screening.
2026: PAHO/WHO issued updated HPV testing screening guidance.
November 11, 2026: PAHO announced the region-wide HPV testing access agreements.
Global Health Targets
The agreements support the WHO's 90-70-90 global cervical cancer elimination targets, which call for 90 percent of girls vaccinated against HPV, 70 percent of women screened with a high-precision test, and 90 percent of women with precancer treated by 2030. By lowering the price of molecular HPV tests, the deals address one of the main obstacles to meeting the screening goal in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Women in participating countries may gain access to more affordable HPV testing as part of cervical cancer screening programs. The lower test costs could make routine screening more practical for people who previously faced financial barriers.
The takeaway
Lower-cost HPV testing can make cervical cancer screening reach more women, since HPV testing has been shown to detect nearly all precancerous lesions and invasive cancers in the ESTAMPA study, while cytology caught fewer than half of those cases.
Further reading
For broader background on screening and prevention, see our Cancer coverage.
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