In this case series, Burdier and colleagues describe the contrasting progress of cervical cancer screening programmes in Bhutan, India, and Türkiye, drawing on presentations from the CHIC South Asia Symposium (New Delhi, 2022). India, despite national VIA-based guidelines since 2016, reports only 1.9% ever-screened coverage among women aged 30–49, constrained by infrastructure gaps and absent […]
Topic: Screening Program Status
Cervical cancer screening in India
India, home to 1.4 billion people, faces a significant burden of cervical cancer, which ranks as the second most common cancer among women, with approximately 75,000 new cases annually. To address this, a national population-based screening program using Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) was launched in 2018 under the Ayushman Bharat initiative, targeting women […]
Cervical cancer screening in Bangladesh
Cervical cancer screening in Bangladesh targets ever-married women aged 30–60 using VIA as the primary method due to its cost-effectiveness and simplicity. While Pap smear, liquid-based cytology, and HPV DNA testing exist, they remain limited by cost and infrastructure. The national program, initiated through government and UNFPA collaboration, has expanded to 570 centers with over […]
Cervical cancer screening in Nepal
Nepal’s cervical cancer screening program, initiated in 2010, is embedded in its basic health service package, ensuring free access through public health facilities. Despite this policy, service availability remains limited, with only about 12% of facilities offering screening, predominantly VIA tests, and national coverage estimated at just 5.4%. Key milestones include the introduction of guidelines, […]
Cervical cancer screening in Pakistan
Pakistan faces significant challenges in cervical cancer prevention, including the absence of a national cancer registry, limited screening services, and lack of HPV vaccine availability in the public sector. Current data are hospital-based, underestimating true incidence, with cervical cancer ranking as the third leading cause of female cancer deaths. Screening remains opportunistic and largely confined […]
Cervical cancer screening in Bhutan
Bhutan’s cervical cancer screening program began with nationwide Pap smear testing in 2006, followed by an HPV vaccination program in 2010 achieving 97% coverage among adolescent girls. Despite this, cervical cancer remains the most common cancer among Bhutanese women, with significant mortality in older age groups. To enhance detection, HPV-DNA testing was introduced in 2020, […]
Cervical cancer screening in Madhya Pradesh, India
The presentation highlighted the significant cervical cancer burden in India, where over 77,000 women died in 2020, largely due to low awareness and limited access to affordable preventive services. In Madhya Pradesh, the state program focuses on four pillars: universal screening of women over 30, accurate diagnosis and treatment for positives, regular follow-up, and periodic […]
Cervical cancer screening programs implementation – Q&A Session
The session highlighted the uneven progress of cervical cancer screening across South Asia, emphasizing both achievements and persistent challenges. Bhutan’s transition to HPV-based screening, combined with high vaccination coverage, was presented as a regional benchmark for integrated prevention. In contrast, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal continue to rely primarily on VIA-based programs, which face obstacles in […]