Senior government officials, civil society leaders, and technical experts from Kenya, Malawi, and Cameroon convened in Nairobi on 28th and 29th January 2026, for a high-level technical engagement to prepare for the pilot implementation of the ACHA ASPIRE Cervical Health Scorecard, a civil society-led accountability tool designed to strengthen cervical cancer elimination efforts across Africa.
The two-day engagement, organized by the African Cervical Health Alliance (ACHA), marked a critical milestone in the rollout of the Scorecard following its unveiling in November 2025. Participants were equipped with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to effectively utilize the Scorecard to drive advocacy, accountability, and policy dialogue within their respective countries.
The pilot phase, set to commence in Kenya, Malawi, and Cameroon, will test the Scorecard’s effectiveness in tracking progress across key cervical health indicators while strengthening country-level ownership, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-informed decision-making.
Strengthening Accountability Through Data
The ACHA ASPIRE Cervical Health Scorecard was developed to transform complex cervical health data into accessible, actionable insights that can support governments, civil society organizations, and development partners in accelerating progress toward the World Health Organization (WHO) 90-70-90 cervical cancer elimination targets.
During the engagement, participants explored how the Scorecard can be used to monitor performance across the cervical cancer continuum, including HPV vaccination, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and broader health system strengthening efforts.
Discussions emphasized that effective cervical cancer elimination requires more than data collection; it requires data that informs policy decisions, drives accountability, strengthens advocacy, and mobilizes action at national and sub-national levels.
Key Issues Highlighted During the Engagement
Participants examined persistent disparities across the cervical cancer continuum and discussed strategies to address them. Key concerns included gaps in HPV vaccination coverage, low screening uptake, limited diagnostic capacity, inequitable access to treatment services, and financing challenges that continue to hinder progress toward elimination.
The meeting also explored the role of scorecards as accountability and advocacy tools. Participants noted that visualized, easy-to-understand data can enhance transparency, support resource allocation decisions, inform policy dialogue, and facilitate peer learning among countries while complementing existing national health information systems.
Another key theme was stakeholder engagement. Participants emphasized that meaningful collaboration with Ministries of Health, civil society organizations, healthcare providers, and development partners will be essential to ensuring successful implementation and long-term sustainability of the Scorecard.
Building Country Capacity for Implementation
A significant component of the engagement focused on practical orientation to the ACHA ASPIRE Cervical Health Scorecard platform. Participants interacted directly with the tool, reviewed the indicator framework, and explored approaches for data collection, validation, analysis, and dissemination.
Country teams worked collaboratively to develop preliminary implementation plans tailored to their national contexts. These plans outlined proposed stakeholder engagement strategies, data sourcing approaches, validation mechanisms, and advocacy opportunities to support the pilot phase.
The engagement also provided a platform for peer learning among the three pilot countries, enabling participants to exchange experiences and identify opportunities for collaboration as implementation begins.
Looking Ahead
As the ACHA ASPIRE Cervical Health Scorecard enters its pilot phase, lessons generated from Kenya, Malawi, and Cameroon will inform further refinement of the tool and guide its potential expansion across the continent.
The engagement reinforced the importance of strong partnerships, credible data, and coordinated advocacy in advancing cervical cancer elimination efforts. It also underscored the critical role of civil society in bridging communities and health systems while ensuring accountability remains central to national cervical cancer responses.
Through continued collaboration between governments, civil society organizations, technical experts, and development partners, the ACHA ASPIRE Cervical Health Scorecard has the potential to become a powerful mechanism for translating commitments into measurable action and accelerating progress toward a future free from cervical cancer in Africa.
