Background
Cancer of cervix is still leading in Tanzania, in morbidity and mortality related to cancer disease. It is preventable if screened or detected early. Efforts to ensure accessibility and affordability of screening services which are tailored to the grass roots is ongoing throughout the country. However the screening method used is under scrutiny in terms of its reliability and performance. The aim of the study is to show the integration of high performance screening method in the settings.

Objectives
To describe prevalence of HPV among women attending cervix cancer screening at ORCI
To describe prevalence of HPV subtype 16 & 18
To describe factors associated with HPV
Methods
Ministry of Health of Tanzania in collaboration with Management Development for Health (MDH) implemented a pilot project of HPV DNA testing in Dar es salaam involving several health facilities. At Ocean Road Cancer Institute, involved women attending routine cervix cancer screening clinic at Ocean Road Cancer Institute. Participants requested to do HIV testing (voluntary) then healthy provider took cervical sample (swab) for HPV DNA testing and finally do routine VIA testing. HPV DNA samples temporary stored at facility laboratory before taken to centralized laboratory for HP DNA testing.
VIA was done at the screening clinic using, a cotton wool and acetic acid which is applied to the vagina and wait for a minute to observe the changes.
Data entered into data base and analysed by using stata version 15.
Results
The first 7 months (from October 2024 to April 2025) of HPV screening at Ocean Road Cancer Institute, a total of 1118 women attended cervix cancer clinic and 461 tested for HPV DNA. The response rate was 41.2%.
About 364 women did VIA screening and 22 (6%) found positive, and 109 (24%) women found HP DNA positive for high risk subtypes. The prevalence of subtype 16 and 18 was 33 (30.1%) and 14 (12.8%). HIV status, type of visit (first vs follow up), parity and age were analysed to find association but none of them related to HPV DNA positive results
Conclusion
HPV DNA testing can be implemented in low income settings and give good results to improve cervix cancer screening.