Antigua and Barbuda took a groundbreaking step in cervical cancer prevention with the launch of an artificial intelligence workshop at The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus on Friday.
The inaugural medical conference, aimed at improving early detection of cervical pre-cancerous lesions through advanced AI technology, brought together local and international experts and nurses for what Minister of Health Sir Molwyn Joseph described as “a historic day in Antigua and Barbuda.”
“Antigua and Barbuda stands at the forefront of cervical cancer elimination efforts in the Caribbean,” Sir Molwyn said during the opening ceremony. “We have made remarkable progress in HPV vaccination, screening and treatment.”
Since 2018, the country has integrated HPV vaccination into its national immunization program, and in 2021 implemented HPV DNA testing as a primary screening method.
Sir Molwyn reiterated the government policy to ensure all cervical cancer screening and treatment services provided through government institutions will continue to be offered free of charge to all women in Antigua and Barbuda.
Governor General Sir Rodney Williams highlighted the introduction of an innovative AI-assisted colposcopy tool, the NGyn device, which is being introduced to the Caribbean for the first time.
“Today we stand on the brink of transformative change in the field of colposcopy,” Sir Rodney said. “The integration of artificial intelligence into medical diagnostics is reshaping the landscape of early detection and intervention, offering new hope in the fight against cervical cancer.”
The workshop features international experts including Dr Partha Basu, Head of Early Detection at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and Dr Walter Prendiville, Clinical Research Director at Neo Sense Vector Technology, who pioneered the Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone (LLETZ) procedure for treating cervical pre-cancerous lesions.
Also participating was Som Pathak, founder and CEO of Neo Sense Vector Technology, who holds over 30 US patents in medical technology innovation.
The initiative is being led locally by Dr Cherie Tulloch, a consultant obstetrician-gynecologist at Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre and technical lead of the Cervical Cancer Elimination Program.
Dr Curtis Charles, Director of Academic Affairs at The UWI Five Islands Campus, underscored the significance of hosting the AI workshop at what he called “the AI campus”, noting that the university established the only School of Science, Computing and Artificial Intelligence in the region.
The collaboration between these international experts, the Ministry of Health, and Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre aims to provide local healthcare professionals with training in both conventional colposcopy techniques and new AI-driven technology.
During their presentations on Friday, Dr Basu presented statistics showing the global disparity in cervical cancer burden.
“This is one cancer that has polarized the world,” Dr Basu explained. “Ninety percent of cervical cancer deaths are happening in low- and medium-income countries.”
His presentation revealed that 77 percent of cervical cancers have been associated with HPV types 16 and 18– which are preventable through vaccination.
Dr Basu also shared research from Sweden showing dramatic reductions in HPV infections following vaccination programs.
One of the most significant revelations was evidence supporting single-dose HPV vaccination efficacy. “A single dose of HPV vaccine is good enough to give protection,” Dr Basu stated, citing data showing 92 percent efficacy even 15 years after vaccination.
Dr Prendiville outlined the limitations of traditional colposcopy that the new AI system aims to overcome.
“Traditional colposcopy is unlikely to penetrate globally over the coming decades. We just will not be able to train enough people to competence,” Dr Prendiville explained.
He described how the NGyn system uses a powerful touchscreen tablet with integrated AI algorithms to identify and classify precancerous lesions with greater objectivity than human assessment alone.
“The system has many advantages to both the experienced, properly trained colposcopist and can act as a training and quality assurance guide in routine practice,” he added.
Dr Tulloch presented Antigua and Barbuda’s progress in implementing HPV testing. Her data showed that among 1,545 women tested in the pilot program, 21.7 percent were positive for high-risk HPV, with 7.5 percent positive for types 16, 18, and 45.
The program identified four cervical cancer cases and numerous pre-cancerous lesions that required treatment. “We’re not looking for cancer, we’re looking to prevent cancer,” Dr Tulloch emphasized.
The workshop, which concluded on Saturday, featured practical sessions at Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, which provided local healthcare professionals with training in both conventional colposcopy techniques and the new AI-driven technology.
