In a significant public health initiative, AIIMS New Delhi has launched a free cervical cancer screening and vaccination drive for the month of January. This move comes as India continues to grapple with a staggering loss of one woman's life to this disease every eight minutes, a tragedy medical professionals emphasize is largely preventable.
AIIMS Initiative: Screening and Vaccination Details
Marking Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, the Preventive Oncology department at the Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital and the National Cancer Institute, in partnership with the College of Nursing, is providing comprehensive services. The program includes WHO-recommended HPV testing (Cobas HPV/Hybrid Capture-2), necessary follow-up care, and vaccination.
Women between the ages of 30 and 65 years can avail themselves of cervical and breast cancer screening from Monday to Friday, between 9 am and 3 pm. For young girls, the HPV vaccination is available for those aged 9 to 14 years every Saturday from 9 am to 12 noon. All these services are being offered at the New RAK Building within the AIIMS campus.
Furthermore, the institute is conducting extensive outreach and community screening drives across the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Jhajjar. These efforts are scheduled to continue through January 2026, aiming for widespread impact.
Why This Drive is Crucial for India
Dr. Pallavi Shukla, Associate Professor of Preventive Oncology at AIIMS and the program coordinator, stressed the importance of the initiative. "This is one cancer which is absolutely preventable. Women should not neglect their health at any age—we must make earnest efforts to eliminate cervical cancer from India," she stated.
The statistics underscore the urgency. Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women. In 2022 alone, there were approximately 6.6 lakh new cases and 3.5 lakh deaths worldwide. The situation in India is even more critical, where it ranks as the second most common cancer among women. According to GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates, the country sees about 1.27 lakh new cases and nearly 80,000 deaths every year.
Understanding Cervical Cancer and Prevention
Dr. Neerja Bhatla explained that persistent infection with high-risk strains of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause of cervical cancer. While most HPV infections clear up on their own, a small percentage can progress to cancer, particularly in women with risk factors such as:
- Early marriage
- Multiple pregnancies
- Smoking
- Reproductive tract infections
- Weakened immunity
Medical experts highlight a key advantage in combating this disease: cervical cancer has a long precancerous phase of 10 to 15 years. This lengthy window makes early detection and intervention highly effective. The World Health Organization now recommends HPV testing over traditional Pap smears for earlier and more accurate diagnosis. They stress that at least two lifetime tests—at ages 35 and 45—are crucial for prevention, alongside vaccination for younger girls.
This free drive by AIIMS represents a vital step forward in making advanced preventive healthcare accessible, aiming to turn the tide against a disease that claims far too many lives unnecessarily.
