Global elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem

In May 2018, the WHO Director-General made a global call for action to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem.1 Before embarking on the pathway to eliminate cervical cancer, which will require immense resources and a global concerted effort, an essential initial step is to understand whether achieving elimination is possible, and to understand the potential effects of different screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination strategies. Such questions can only be examined using mathematical modelling, which can provide projections on the basis of our understanding of the epidemiology of HPV infection and cervical cancer, and the efficacy of HPV vaccines and cervical cancer screening and treatment.