The Madhya Pradesh government has partnered with a Hyderabad-based private healthcare firm to launch a cervical cancer screening drive in Rewa district, targeting 10,000 women between the ages of 25 and 65.
The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases. The National Health Mission Madhya Pradesh will lead ground-level implementation.
What the Testing Involves
The pilot uses HPV DNA testing — a method that detects high-risk human papillomavirus infections before they develop into cancer. Doctors consider it more accurate than conventional screening methods.
Cervical cancer is among the leading causes of cancer deaths among women in India. Late diagnosis, particularly in rural areas, drives much of that mortality.
The National Health Mission will select and train frontline health workers to run the programme — including Auxiliary Nurse Midwives, Staff Nurses, Community Health Officers, and ASHA workers.
“These cadres will handle community mobilisation, sample collection, counselling, and follow-up at the village and sub-centre level,” a senior health official said.
The private firm will supply technical support, develop training materials, and build standardised clinical guidelines for the state. It will also run Train-the-Trainer programmes to create a pool of Master Trainers who will then train district and block-level staff.
Tracking Women Who Test Positive
The partnership includes monitoring, data management, and referral systems for women who test positive. Treatment pathways will be streamlined to ensure timely follow-up and care.
Officials say the Rewa pilot will serve as a model for scaling HPV DNA screening across Madhya Pradesh. Data from the project will feed into the state’s strategy for cervical cancer elimination, aligned with World Health Organisation targets.
“The collaboration will bridge critical gaps in skills, technology, and community outreach,” a senior NHM official said, adding that the goal is to reach women who miss routine check-ups entirely.
The state aims to embed cancer screening into primary healthcare — not as a separate vertical, but as part of routine village-level contact.
If Rewa works, the model moves outward. Officials are already watching.
IANS
Support Us To Sustain Independent Environmental Journalism In India.
Keep Reading
How Solar Solutions Are Helping Protect Crops from Wild Animals
Pench Tiger Reserve: How a Man Survived a Tiger Attack
