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New Delhi: AIIMS New Delhi launched free cervical cancer screening through Jan under a public-interest drive. The move comes as India continues to lose 1 woman every 8 minutes to a disease doctors say is largely preventable.
As part of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, Preventive Oncology at Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital and National Cancer Institute, in collaboration with College of Nursing, is offering WHO-recommended HPV testing, follow-up care, and vaccination.
Women aged 30–65 years can undergo cervical and breast cancer screening from Monday to Friday, while HPV vaccination is available for girls aged 9–14 years on Saturdays at the New RAK Building, AIIMS. Outreach and community screening drives are also being conducted across NCI Jhajjar through Jan 2026.
“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,” said Dr Pallavi Shukla, Associate Professor of Preventive Oncology, AIIMS, who is coordinating the programme.
Dr Neerja Bhatla said the disease is caused by persistent high-risk HPV infection. While most infections clear naturally, a small proportion progress to cancer, especially in women with early marriage, multiple pregnancies, smoking, reproductive tract infections, or weakened immunity.
