IFPHPOS0039 HPV Self Sampling: myAFYA- the Self-Care Approach to Scaling Up Screening for Cervical Cancer in Kenya

Abstract The screening for the high-risk Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) type 16 & 18 in women of reproductive aged group has been recognized as part of the global three prongs strategy for elimination of cervical cancer by 2030. In many underserved neighbourhoods in Kenya major barriers to screening includes the inconveniences of clinic visits and pelvic examination hesitancy due to cultural norms and religious beliefs towards the conventional sample collection by nurse/clinician. The myAFRA offers an innovative approach for scaling up cervical smear self-sampling for HPV testing either at home or under clinical settings with a mobile application providing instructions in Swahili language on the process of collection, package and tracking dispatched samples for laboratory testing. The integrated mobile platform has an AI enabled chat box for education, test requests, follow-up on screening tests and referral for treatments. Building on the country’s current laboratory testing infrastructures for COVID-19 and multi-drug resistance Tuberculosis (MDR-TB), the myAFRA approach offers point of care screening through the Genexpert platform. By decentralising screening, the approach is able to reduce turnaround time from weeks to hours. The adoption of innovative approaches in the design and delivery of evidence-based cost-effective interventions especially in screening for cancers and other non-communicable conditions will be crucial with the current decline in global financing and the approaching 2030 deadline for the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem.