Accelerating the reduction in cervical cancer: what can we learn from the Safe Motherhood movement?

As we move toward the post-2015 development agenda, we should reflect on the accomplishments of the Safe Motherhood movement and derive potential lessons to strengthen programs to reduce the burden of cervical cancer. Five key areas have been the focus of attention over the years: definition of the magnitude and distribution of maternal mortality; identification of effective and feasible clinical solutions; advocacy to increase attention, resources, and commitment; leadership through international coalitions; and development of a framework for accountability, with targets and indicators. While efforts have been made in each of these areas for cervical cancer prevention, progress has been constrained by inadequate resources. Data are of variable quality, with few cancer registries in the countries where cervical cancer is most prevalent. There has been substantial progress in identifying feasible and effective clinical and programmatic interventions, and a growing consensus around meaningful indicators. Advocacy on behalf of cervical cancer prevention has been gaining momentum but leadership is still fragmented. With so many of the basic elements for cervical cancer prevention in place, we must use the lessons learned from the Safe Motherhood movement to accelerate the pace of scaling-up cervical cancer prevention activities, saving millions of women's lives in the next decade.