The Impressive TimesNew Delhi – In a landmark achievement for women’s health in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has successfully screened over 10.18 crore women aged 30 and above for cervical cancer under the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) and National Health Mission (NHM) initiative.
This nationwide screening drive is part of the government’s focused efforts on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) prevention and management. Women between the ages of 30 to 65 are being regularly screened using Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) at Sub-Health and Primary Health Centres by trained health workers.
Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) are playing a pivotal role in identifying at-risk individuals through the Community-Based Assessment Checklist (CBAC) and mobilizing them for screening. They are also spreading awareness about the importance of early cancer detection and healthy lifestyle choices within their communities.
Regular events like National Cancer Awareness Day and World Cancer Day are observed to maintain community engagement. The government is also leveraging print, digital, and social media platforms to drive consistent messaging on cervical cancer awareness and NCDs.
A time-bound NCD screening campaign held from February 20 to March 31, 2025, significantly accelerated the screening numbers. As per the National NCD Portal data (as of July 20, 2025), 10.18 crore women out of the 25.42 crore eligible female population (aged 30+) have undergone screening—marking a massive stride toward preventive and accessible healthcare.
States and Union Territories are being supported through dedicated funding under their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) to run community-level campaigns and awareness programs for cancer and NCD control.
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, shared these developments in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
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