Despite numerous awareness campaigns, people often neglect screening for cervical cancer, which even has a preventive vaccine.
Poonam Pandey. (Instagram)
Actor Poonam Pandey is not being considered as the brand ambassador of the government’s national campaign to spread awareness on cervical cancer, Union Health Ministry officials said on Wednesday, 7 February.
The clarification came after sources said that Pandey is likely to be the face of the campaign, and that she and her team are in talks with Ministry officials.
The PR stunt by the actor’s team earlier this month courted controversy across the country. Her social media team announced her “death due to cervical cancer” on 2 February. The following day, Pandey and her team confirmed that it was to “raise awareness about cervical cancer and get the conversation going”.
However, there is no denying that the stunt also served the intended purpose of raising awareness and sparking discussions about the disease.
After all, the estimated number of cervical cancer cases in India is around 3.42 lakh. The Southern states also had a high number of cases in 2023.
It should be noted that according to the World Health Organization, India reported 1,27,526 cases and 79,906 deaths due to cervical cancer in 2022.
In a video, posted on her official Instagram page, Pandey on 3 February said, “I feel compelled to share something significant with you all ‘I am here, alive.’.”
“Cervical cancer didn’t claim me, but tragically, it has claimed the lives of thousands of women who stemmed from a lack of knowledge on how to tackle this disease,” the 32-year-old added.
“Unlike some other cancers, cervical cancer is entirely preventable. The key lies in the HPV vaccine and early detection tests. We have the means to ensure no one loses their life to this disease.
“Let’s empower one another with critical awareness and ensure every woman is informed about the steps to take. Together, let’s strive to put an end to the devastating impact of the disease and bring #DeathToCervicalCancer,” she wrote.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her interim Budget speech, said that the government will encourage vaccination of girls in the age group of 9-14 years to prevent cervical cancer.
The Union Health Ministry had last month said it is closely monitoring incidence of cervical cancer in the country and is in regular touch with states and various health departments on this.
Tamil Nadu reported the second-highest number of cases in India in the year 2023, with the number being 36,014, according to the National Cancer Registry Programme report.
It was behind only Uttar Pradesh, which reported 45,682 cases last year.
Karnataka reported 20,678 cases, Andhra Pradesh reported 17,146 cases, Telangana reported 11,525, and Kerala reported 7,765 cases in 2023.
However, the highest age-adjusted incidence rate (AAR) per one lakh population in southern India was in Bengaluru.
The AAR is a statistical measure that accounts for variations in age distribution among populations, providing a standardised rate per 1 lakh people to compare the incidence of a specific health event across different groups.
In Bengaluru, the AAR per 1 lakh population was 17.7, while it was 14.8 in Chennai, 11.7 in Hyderabad, and 6.8 in Thiruvananthapuram.
Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that originates in the cells of the cervix, which is the lower, narrow end of the uterus.
It is most commonly caused by persistent infection of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and usually develops slowly over time, often starting with pre-cancerous changes in the cervical tissue.
“This cancer is more prevalent in low socioeconomic conditions, as these individuals with unsafe sexual practices and multiple partners are often seen in lower-income populations,” Chennai-based Kauvery Hospital’s Director Dr AN Vaidhyswaran told South First earlier.
“Unsafe sexual practices and frequent childbirth, along with illegal abortions, contribute to higher instances of cervical cancer in rural areas compared to metropolitan cities, where breast cancer is more prevalent,” he said.
“Unusual vaginal bleeding, such as after intercourse, between periods, or after menopause; increased vaginal discharge; pain during sexual intercourse; pelvic pain or pain during urination; difficulty or pain during bowel movements or bleeding from the rectum; and swelling of the legs are the some of the common symptoms of cervical cancer,” Hyderabad’s Yashoda Hospitals’ Gynaecologist, Obstetrician, and Laparoscopic Surgeon Dr Sarada M told South First.
There are two main types of cervical cancer. The first is squamous cell carcinoma, which develops from cells in the ectocervix. The second is adenocarcinoma, which develops in the glandular cells of the endocervix.
The doctors emphasised that cervical cancer is not a “sexually transmitted disease” and is not associated with being “promiscuous”. Furthermore, it is not exclusive to any specific profession or lifestyle; instead, it can affect women from all walks of life.
Currently, the Serum Institute’s made-in-India vaccine against cervical cancer, CERVAVAC, is available in the private market for about ₹2,000 per dose. MSD Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck Sharp and Dohme (known as Merck and Co, Inc in the US and Canada) continues to sell its HPV vaccine Gardasil 4 (quadrivalent vaccine) in India which is currently priced at ₹3,927 per dose.
(With PTI inputs)
May 17, 2024
May 16, 2024
May 16, 2024
May 16, 2024
May 16, 2024
May 15, 2024
