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New Delhi. Cervical Cancer, which is one of the deadliest cancers in women, still remains a major health challenge in many countries including India. Due to lack of awareness and timely testing, lakhs of women fall prey to it every year. Many stories like Sunita’s from Uttar Pradesh show the seriousness of this disease, where late detection makes it difficult to save life.

However, it is a matter of relief in medical science that cervical cancer is one of the few diseases which can be completely prevented. In this direction, Australia has presented a historical example to the world.

Step towards Australia’s big achievement

Australia is moving towards becoming the first country in the world which can almost eliminate cervical cancer in its country. The basis for this is mass vaccination and strong screening programs against human papilloma virus (HPV).

This story began in 2006, when scientists developed ‘Gardasil’, a vaccine that prevents HPV infection. Subsequently, in 2007, Australia started a national vaccination program in schools, in which children aged 12–13 years were given free vaccines. Later, boys were also included in it, so that the spread of the virus could be stopped.

Change in investigation became a game-changer

In 2017, Australia replaced Pap smear tests with HPV-based screening, which is considered more effective. It is sufficient to do this once every five years. Besides, women were also given the facility to collect samples themselves, which increased participation in the investigation.

According to scientific standards, when there are less than 4 cases per 1 lakh women in a country, it is considered to be under ‘control’ or near elimination of the disease. Australia has come very close to this goal and is expected to achieve it before 2035.

challenges still exist

However, the disease is still relatively prevalent in native tribal communities. At the same time, vaccine hesitancy and decline in vaccination rates after the pandemic also remain a matter of concern.

Efforts intensified at global level

Countries like Sweden, Rwanda and Britain are also moving forward with the goal of eliminating this disease. With the cooperation of the World Health Organization (WHO), many countries are now working on a strategy to eliminate it.

What is the lesson for India?

Cervical cancer is a leading cancer among women in India, but steps have been taken to improve the situation in recent years. The government has launched the HPV vaccination campaign for girls aged 9 to 14 years. Along with this, India has developed its indigenous HPV vaccine Cervavac, which has made vaccination more accessible and affordable. Experts believe that if timely vaccination and regular testing are implemented on a large scale, the risk of this disease can be reduced to a great extent.