Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation supports BCM Global Health's cervical cancer project in Malawi

The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, an independent charitable organization, has awarded Baylor College of Medicine Global Health $2.25 million for the Comprehensive Cervical Cancer Pilot Initiative in Malawi. Catharine Grimes, president, Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (BMS Foundation), and Michael B. Mizwa, director, Texas Children’s Global Health Network, Baylor College of Medicine Global Health, and board chair, Baylor Foundation Malawi, signed the agreement at the Area 25 Community Hospital, located outside the capital city of Lilongwe, where the bulk of the initiative’s cervical cancer services will be centered. 

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in Malawi. The country’s cervical cancer mortality rate of 51.5 deaths per 100,000 women annually is more than twice that observed in other East African countries and about seven times the global average. The World Health Organization (WHO) has established a comprehensive roadmap with specific milestones to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030 and beyond.  These milestones set by the WHO include:

• 90% Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination coverage for girls by age 15;
• 70% of women screened using a high-performance test by the ages of 35 and 45;
• 90% of women diagnosed with cervical disease receive appropriate treatment, including providing care for
• 90% of those with pre-cancerous lesions and ensuring that 90% of women with invasive cancer have access to treatment and palliative care.

“The Comprehensive Cervical Cancer Pilot Initiative will set the stage for a scalable initiative that ultimately will have impact at the national or regional level,” said Dr. Michael Belfort, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor and obstetrician/gynecologist-in-chief at Texas Children’s. “We are very grateful for the support of the BMS Foundation to make this project a reality with Baylor Foundation Malawi.”

The longstanding public-private partnership (PPP) between Baylor College of Medicine Global Health, Texas Children’s Global Health Network, Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation –Malawi (Baylor Foundation Malawi) and the Government of the Republic of Malawi, as well as collaborating partners, stakeholders and donors, intends to leverage shared resources, knowledge and expertise. Baylor Foundation Malawi also will maximize the BMS Foundation’s grant contributions to Texas Children’s Global HOPE (Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence) in Malawi, maximizing human, clinical, laboratory and pathology resources.

“The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation is proud to support this public-private partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, to bolster local healthcare capacity in Malawi and meet the country’s most pressing public health needs,” Grimes said. “With Malawi facing the highest incidence of cervical cancer in the world, this new grant will build on the infrastructure we have collectively developed to implement impactful, sustainable solutions.”    

The Cervical Cancer Initiative will build on the solid PPP foundation laid in Malawi, with aims to develop a sustainable strategy to address the problem of cervical cancer by enhancing and fortifying prevention, screening and treatment services within the catchment of Area 25 Community Hospital and three surrounding health centers. The Area 25 project serves a population of 500,000, handles more than 12,000 antenatal cases and conducts more than 8,000 deliveries annually, supported by Baylor Foundation Malawi and in clinical collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine Global Health and Texas Children’s Global Women’s Health.

Additionally, this three-year project will leverage community-based educational campaigns, high-performance HPV testing and capacity-building for healthcare workers to create a sustainable model for cervical cancer prevention and management.

“We are excited to partner with the BMS Foundation to implement this grant and scale up cervical cancer preventive services for the women of the Area 25 catchment area. We are confident that the reach of this work will excel beyond the borders of Area 25 to the whole nation,” said Dr. Chiweza Chikondi, clinical director of maternal health at Area 25 for Baylor Foundation Malawi.

Baylor Foundation Malawi will serve as the Baylor College of Medicine Global Health and Texas Children’s Global Women’s Health’s implementation partner for the initiative. Since its inception in 2005, Baylor Foundation Malawi has managed more than $158 million in grants, private philanthropy, corporate grants and in-kind resources to support the public-private partnership in Malawi and their main areas of focus – service delivery, healthcare provider training and research.

“This grant speaks to the importance of sustainable partnerships by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation and capitalizes on the more than $100 million in grants it has made to Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s and our Global Network over the past 20-years,” Mizwa said. “Our expected impact will be a clear pathway to a cervical cancer-free Malawi.”