Vaccination against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and enhancing DNA-based screening are crucial steps to eradicate cervical cancer in India, as stated by Health Ministry officials. At India’s inaugural national summit organized by AIIMS to expedite the cervical cancer elimination agenda, experts emphasized the significance of these interventions. Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary and Managing Director of the National Health Mission, reiterated the government’s dedication to eradicating cervical cancer as a public health concern.
Prof Dr V.K. Paul, Member (Health) at NITI Aayog, highlighted the historic opportunity India has to eliminate cervical cancer, emphasizing the necessity for speed, scale, and system-wide alignment. He stressed the importance of evidence-based implementation models, advocating for pilot projects showcasing the scalability of HPV DNA-based screening and self-sampling, particularly in primary healthcare settings.
The summit, spearheaded by AIIMS’ Departments of Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology, and Onco-Anaesthesia & Palliative Medicine, focused on scaling up HPV vaccination, enhancing screening through high-performance HPV DNA testing, and promoting self-sampling methods. It also discussed the establishment of uniform national Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and streamlining treatment and follow-up pathways to ensure equitable, high-quality care nationwide.
Dr Abhishek Shankar, Assistant Professor at AIIMS’ Department of Radiation Oncology, emphasized the need for collaborative efforts among government, clinicians, innovators, and patient advocates to accelerate prevention, early detection, and effective treatment of cervical cancer. The Summit, attended by over 500 participants, concluded with a National Call to Action outlining priority steps to expedite India’s cervical cancer elimination roadmap.
