Reaching the Unreached: How Mobile Clinics Advance Health Equity

September 18, 2025

The Challenge
Millions of people in rural and low-resource areas struggle to access basic healthcare such as routine checkups or preventive screenings. Obstacles like distance, cost, lack of local services, transportation, and childcare can mean going years without seeing a doctor. This puts lives at risk, especially for conditions that are preventable or treatable when caught early.

A Practical Solution
Mobile healthcare clinics offer a proven and scalable solution. They overcome these barriers by bringing essential care directly to where people live and work. More than 2,000 mobile health clinics operate in the U.S. These clinics often set up in community centers, schools, or even out of vans to provide free or low-cost screenings for a range of health needs from hypertension and diabetes checks to vaccinations and cancer screenings.

Efforts like these are essential because the World Health Organization (WHO) has set a global target: by 2030, eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem. Meeting this goal means getting 90% of girls vaccinated against HPV by age 15, screening 70% of women by ages 35 and 45, and ensuring 90% of women with cervical disease receive treatment. Although figures vary globally, in some regions less than 30% of girls have received even a single dose of the HPV vaccine; in others, fewer than 10% of women are ever screened for cervical cancer; and in yet other areas, up to 80% of women diagnosed with cervical precancer do not receive treatment.

Mobile clinics are a key part in achieving the WHO goals. They can provide on-the-spot HPV and Pap tests, sometimes with same-day results, directly to communities that might not have a primary care doctor or access to a clinic. In South Carolina, the Mobile HPV Vaccination Program administered vaccines to 1,078 children ages 9-18 across 29 counties by the end of 2023, with 385 being HPV vaccinations, primarily serving medically underserved and uninsured populations. A mobile initiative in East Tennessee increased cervical screening rates among uninsured women by more than 11% following targeted outreach. In Brazil, a mobile van raised diagnostic follow-up for cervical cancer from 64% to 87% when follow-up was provided on-site, a 37% relative increase.

These clinics help women feel safe and respected while learning about their health. They not only screen, but also provide education on prevention and next steps, building trust and knowledge in the communities they serve.

Mobile clinics also commonly provide breast cancer (mammography) and colorectal cancer screenings [Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) tests], and sometimes prostate and lung cancer screenings depending on resources and population needs. Beyond cancer screening, they also provide preventive screenings for childhood vaccinations and chronic disease management, services that improve long-term health across all ages.

A Commitment to Health Equity
At Society for Translational Oncology (STO), we believe innovation must reach every patient, everywhere. Mobile clinics are one way to turn science into action—advancing early detection, prevention, and global equity.Health care providers (HCPs) are essential to expanding this model. HCPs can strengthen referral networks, offer specialty consults, support protocol development, and provide expert insight for education development. HCPs partnering with mobile clinics helps ensure that patients receive timely follow-up, treatment, and proper care they may never have received otherwise.

Find a Mobile Clinic in Your Area
Start a Mobile Clinic – Mobile Health Map

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