Ending cervical cancer in Bosnia and Herzegovina starts with prevention

Cervical cancer remains one of the most common cancers affecting women in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the outcome can be devastating. Every week two to three women die from cervical cancer —yet most of these deaths could be prevented. Cervical cancer is also one of the most preventable cancers. With the combination of vaccination, screening and early treatment, it can be eliminated as a public health problem.

The tools to end it are not new—and they work best when prevention becomes routine. We can stop cervical cancer before it starts by protecting adolescents through vaccination, and we can catch pre-disease changes early through regular gynaecological check-ups, and manage these with simple and effective interventions.

Now is the moment to turn that knowledge into everyday action. Cervical Cancer Awareness Month (January) and Europe’s Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (19-25 January 2026) are reminders to shift the conversation from stigma and silence to routine prevention, because Bosnia and Herzegovina has the opportunity to choose a future where cervical cancer is no longer claims lives.

Almost all cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with high-risk types of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is why HPV vaccination is cancer prevention. Given early—before exposure to the virus—it offers strong protection from infection.

Prevention should not be framed as a “women-only” issue. Boys and young men can also carry HPV and can also develop HPV-related diseases. Vaccinating boys protects their health, reduces HPV transmission and strengthens population-level protection for girls and women.

This direction has been reinforced globally. On 15 December 2025, the United Nations adopted a Political Declaration on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) that —for the first time—explicitly includes boys in calls to scale up HPV vaccination, alongside strengthened screening, including for women at higher risk, and access to early, quality treatment.

If you are a parent or caregiver, the most powerful step you can take is simple: vaccinate your children (girls and boys!) when they are eligible. Vaccination protects the current and next generations. For women today, prevention of cervical cancer also includes making regular gynaecological check-ups routine and discussing Pap smear and HPV testing with a health professional. Even where organized screening programmes are not yet fully in place, women can still take action by periodically testing and follow-up. 

The core message is straightforward: don’t wait for symptoms. When cervical cancer is detected early, treatment is more effective.

Every number is a person, a mother, a sister, or a daughter. In 2022, 263 new cases of cervical cancer were registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Cervical cancer ranks as the sixth most frequent cancer among women, and the second most frequent among women aged 15–44. Most cases are preventable through HPV vaccination and early detection.

The World Health Organization aims to reduce the burden of cervical cancer until it no longer constitutes a public health problem. Prevention and early detection are the main anchors of the global strategy. We know this goal is within reach. Several countries are well on track to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2035, driven by sustained HPV vaccination and mass screening programmes. That progress shows what is possible when prevention is made routine, trusted and widely accessible.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, efforts to prevent cervical cancer do not start from zero. With UNFPA support, a comprehensive cervical cancer prevention programme has been implemented. HPV vaccination was introduced in Sarajevo Canton in 2021, while the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska and Brcko District have initiated HPV vaccination through their respective health systems. To date, more than 8,200 girls and boys have been vaccinated across the country. This figure suggests that vaccination uptake remains low, indicating a need to continue strengthening efforts to improve access to vaccines and increase vaccination acceptance.

Across Europe, cancer prevention programmes increasingly prioritise HPV vaccination and screening for pre-cancerous lesions that may lead to invasive cervical cancer. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, this same direction is supported through the EU-funded joint project “Comprehensive Research on Cervical, Breast, Colorectal, and Prostate Cancers in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, implemented and co-funded by UNFPA and WHO, in cooperation with the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, the Ministry of Health of the Federation of BiH, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republika Srpska, and the Department of Health and Other Services of Brčko District of BiH. The findings of the research will serve as an evidence base for the development of population based screening programme.

Cervical cancer is preventable. Bosnia and Herzegovina has chosen a future where prevention is routine, protection is shared, and fewer families face avoidable loss and hardship. Our ultimate goal is clear: no woman should die from cervical cancer—because it is preventable.

UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO remain committed to working with governments, health authorities and partners across Bosnia and Herzegovina to accelerate HPV vaccination, strengthen early detection and ensure timely, quality care—so that women and girls can live healthier lives, free from preventable cervical cancer. The tools to prevent cervical cancer are available and proven; sustained action will ensure they reach all who need them.

Justine Coulson is UNFPA Representative in BiH, Marc Lucet is UNICEF Representative in BiH and Dr. Erwin Cooreman is WHO Special Representative in BiH.