Postgraduate research students

My PhD research focuses on the cost-effectiveness, budget impact, and stakeholders’ perspectives of cervical cancer HPV DNA self-sampling in low-resource settings, with a specific focus on Tanzania.

This study is motivated by the fact that cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. Despite being largely preventable, the disease continues to disproportionately affect women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where screening coverage remains low.

There are three commonly used cervical cancer screening methods: Pap smear (cytology), visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing, which falls under molecular screening. The Pap smear, widely used for decades in high-income countries, has significantly reduced cervical cancer incidence, particularly among women who adhere to regular screening. However, the Pap smear is costly and resource-intensive, making it less feasible for widespread adoption in LMICs.

In these settings, VIA has been the preferred low-cost alternative. VIA has lower clinical effectiveness and is often less acceptable to women due to its invasive nature and associated discomfort. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO), in its 2021 guidelines, recommended that countries currently using Pap smear and VIA transition to HPV DNA testing, which is more sensitive for detecting precancerous lesions and can also be self-collected by clients.

Evidence shows that HPV DNA self-sampling offers similar clinical effectiveness to clinician-collected samples and is more acceptable to women. Studies conducted in Tanzania support these findings. However, they also highlight the need for country-specific economic evaluations to assess the feasibility and sustainability of implementing HPV self-sampling in resource-limited settings.

My PhD research aims to fill this evidence gap for Tanzania by conducting a cost-effectiveness analysis, a budget impact assessment, and an exploration of stakeholders’ perspectives on the implementation of HPV DNA self-sampling in Tanzania.

Beyond my PhD, I am a junior researcher with an interest in economic evaluation and biostatistics, particularly in the areas of cancer, nutrition, and HIV research.

List by: Type | Date

• Dr Claudia Geue
• Dr Nishant Jaiswal
• Professor Cindy Gray
• Dr Eleanor Grieve

Africa Health Economics and Policy Association 2025 Scientific Conference - Kigali, Rwanda. I presented on Cost and Cost-effectiveness of Cervical Cancer HPV DNA Self-sampling: A Systematic Review