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Assam is witnessing a concerning rise in cervical cancer risk, with only 0.2% of women aged 30–49 undergoing screening, one of the lowest rates in India. A recent study by Assam Medical College found that 13% of women in Northeast India have high-risk HPV infections, the primary cause of cervical cancer. Early marriage, common across the state, further elevates the risk.
In 2016, Assam recorded the highest cervical cancer-related DALYs at 290.1 per 100,000 women. Experts are urging immediate action through improved screening, HPV vaccination, public awareness campaigns, and strengthened healthcare infrastructure to combat the growing threat.
Speaking on the matter, Dr Gayatri Gogoi, an Associate Professor, stated, “As per the government of India guidelines, screening for Cervical cancer has been done today. Earlier, the vaccine was not prevalent in India as it was costly, but now Serum Institute has produced this vaccine, and this can prevent cancer. Through this vaccination camp, our target is to cover a large number of people, and whoever is willing to take it, we are offering this vaccine.”
In a strong move to promote cancer prevention, Pratishruti Cancer and Palliative Trust, in collaboration with Nemcare Hospital, organised a special vaccination drive today where 75 girls were vaccinated with the HPV vaccine, as on writing the report. Samantha, a young woman from Guwahati, was one of the first people to take the vaccine. Speaking to NewsX, Samatha said, “I would definitely ask all my friends to take this vaccine, and I don’t have any stigma associated with this. As soon as I heard about it, I was all up to take this vaccine.”
This initiative addresses the urgent need to tackle cervical cancer, which claims nearly 80,000 women’s lives each year in India. With Assam’s HPV vaccination rate still critically low at just 1%, the Trust and Nemcare Hospital are working together to raise awareness, provide access to vaccination, and encourage preventive healthcare.
Women have come out in large numbers to advocate for the vaccine as cancer cases are prevalent in Northeast India. Speaking on the matter, Chandrani Sinha, Climate Researcher and an advocate for the vaccine, told NewsX, “I am here to basically talk about the stigma associated with this. This is a very common cancer among women, and that’s why we need more awareness of this. Every year, over 18,000 people die because of cervical cancer, and we should encourage our peers and family and everyone to come forward and take the vaccine.” The silver lining is that women are coming out advocating for awareness in all walks of life. One of them is Saswati Das, Assistant Accounts Officer, who volunteered for the vaccination drive herself. Speaking to NewsX, she reflected, “Cervical cancer is preventable, and today I’m proud to have taken the HPV vaccine. Earlier, there was a lack of awareness about this vaccine, leading to several misconceptions. Many believed it was only for young girls, but the truth is, it’s recommended for girls as young as 9 years old, and even adults can benefit from it. The earlier, the better! I’m glad to see initiatives like today’s awareness camp by the Indian Medical Association and FOGSI. Let’s spread the word and prioritise prevention.”
The HPV vaccine is highly effective against high-risk virus strains such as HPV-16 and HPV-18, responsible for the majority of cervical cancer cases.
