CSIP: PRELIMS BOOSTER SERIES – 513 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CERVICAL CANCER
WHY IN NEWS?
Announcement in budget regarding programme for cervical cancer
BACKGROUND
- Cervical cancer develops in a woman’s cervix.
- It is the 4thmost common type of cancer among women, globally and 2nd most common among women in India.
- India contributes the largest share of the global cervical cancer burden;nearly 1 in every 4 deaths globally due to cervical cancer (as per The Lancet study).
- Almost all cervical cancer cases (99%) are linked to infection with high-risk HPV,an extremely common virus transmitted through sexual contact.
- Effective primary (HPV vaccination) and secondary prevention approaches (screening for and treating precancerous lesions) will prevent most cervical cancer cases.
INITIARIVES
- Plan to roll out the indigenously developed CERVAVAC vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer among girls aged 9-14 years through their schools by mid-2023.