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Living with HIV, dying from cervical cancer

Less than 1 percent of HIV-positive women in Africa receive screenings for cervical cancer, a treatable disease that claims the lives of 270,000 women worldwide each year. Cervical cancer, the second most common cancer among women, can be especially deadly for those who are on antiretroviral therapy, a treatment used to suppress the HIV virus.

To increase awareness of this issue, Jhpiego, a global health affiliate of Johns Hopkins, created a video that highlights the lack of access to cervical cancer screenings in the developing world and introduces women whose lives have been affected by the disease.

Jhpiego has been a pioneer in the use of the single-visit approach to cervical cancer screening and treatment for women in low-resource settings. This simple, inexpensive, and effective screening method uses table vinegar to detect precancerous lesions. If lesions are found, the patient is immediately offered treatment through a freezing procedure known as cryotherapy.

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