The China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) and Merck Sharp & Dohme (China) Investment Co., Ltd signed a three-year-long cooperation framework on the implementation of a pilot program for the elimination of cervical cancer at a ceremony in Beijing on October 11.

The signing ceremony was attended by Song Li, Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), Vice-President and Secretary-General of the CWDF Dong Kui, Senior Vice-President of MSD and President of MSD China Anna Van Acker, and Wang Xiaohua, director of the MSD China's Government Affairs and Market Admission Department.

In this April, Song held a meeting with Caroline Litchfield, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of MSD, and Acker. The two sides reached a consensus on the implementation of an action plan toward the elimination of cervical cancer from 2023 to 2030 in a move to further promote the Healthy China Initiative.

According to the action plan, the American pharmaceutical company will donate money and goods worth no more than 30 million yuan (US $4.23 million) to the CWDF for the implementation of the pilot program.

Song said the ACWF has fully leverage its strength and resource to proactively implement the Healthy China Initiative for Mothers' Health, made the prevention and treatment of women's two cancers (cervical cancer and breast cancer) a priority and carried out a series of public welfare programs to safeguard people's health.

During the past 11 years, MSD and the CWDF have forged solid partnership in the prevention and control of cervical cancer. This year, the two sides have carried out the pilot program toward the elimination of cervical cancer in areas with insufficient medical resources, marking a firm step toward the improvement of women's health.

Song asked the CWDF to coordinate the women's federations in the pilot areas to engage in closer cooperation with the government departments of health, civil affairs and education over the orderly and efficient implementation of the pilot program, delivering tangible benefit to people.

Acker said MSD has attached great importance to women's health since its entry in Chinese market in 1992, and she hoped the pilot program will benefit more women and their families.

The pilot program will first be implemented in earthquake-affected area in Jishishan County, in Northwest China's Gansu Province and Zizhou County, in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

(Source: CWDF/Women of China)

Editor: Wang Shasha