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AIIMS Fights Cervical Cancer: Free Screening Launched
7 Jan
Summary
- AIIMS New Delhi provides free cervical cancer screening throughout January.
- India loses one woman every eight minutes to this preventable disease.
- Free HPV testing, vaccination for girls available at AIIMS.
AIIMS New Delhi is spearheading a crucial public health initiative throughout January, offering free cervical cancer screening. This campaign addresses the alarming reality that India loses a woman every eight minutes to a disease considered highly preventable by medical experts. The program, running through Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, includes WHO-recommended HPV testing and crucial follow-up care.
Preventive Oncology at AIIMS, in collaboration with the College of Nursing, is facilitating this drive. Women aged 30 to 65 can access cervical and breast cancer screening on weekdays. Additionally, girls aged 9 to 14 are eligible for HPV vaccination on Saturdays. Outreach programs are also extending screening services to communities.
Experts emphasize that persistent high-risk HPV infection causes this cancer. While most infections resolve, a small fraction can develop into cancer, particularly in women with certain risk factors. Efforts are underway to eliminate cervical cancer through accessible screening and vaccination, urging women not to neglect their health.
