Cervical Cancer Elimination Consortium - India (CCEC-I)

The Cervical Cancer Elimination Consortium-India (CCEC-I) is a collaborative effort initiated by subject matter experts, public health experts and representatives of agencies experienced in implementing the 90-70-90 strategies both in India and globally. Convened by the Department of Management Studies (DMS) at IIT Delhi in April 2024, following the model of the Global HPV Consortium by the Sabin Institute, the initiative aims to eradicate cervical cancer, the only cancer that can be effectively prevented. Achieving Elimination: To eliminate cervical cancer, countries must achieve and maintain an incidence rate below 4 per 100,000 women. This requires: Vaccination: 90% of girls fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by age 15. Screening: 70% of women screened with a high-performance test by ages 35 and 45. Treatment: 90% of women with pre-cancer treated and 90% of women with invasive cancer managed. Cervical cancer is largely preventable with effective vaccines. It progresses slowly, allowing for early detection and treatment. Globally, it's the 4th most common cancer among women, but in India, it is the second most prevalent, with 123,907 new cases and 77,348 deaths reported in 2020. Despite available vaccines, screening, and treatment tools, cervical cancer cases and deaths persist. The Government of India’s 2024 interim budget commitment to cervical cancer vaccination presents an opportunity to target 100 districts for elimination. The National Program for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Stroke (NPCDSS) already includes cervical cancer screening. The CCEC-I initiative aims to support national and state governments in India with evidence-based screening, treatment access, vaccination, and community education initiatives to eliminate cervical cancer.