INDIA – Roche Diagnostics India and the Cancer Awareness Prevention and Early Detection Trust (CAPED), a community outreach organisation, have partnered to launch a new HPV-based cervical cancer screening programme in the country.
Human Papillomavirus, which is sexually transmitted, is responsible for a wide variety of genital infections. It can also lead to cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, or penis.
In India, cervical cancer ranks as the second-most common cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age, accounting for nearly 77,000 cervical cancer deaths each year.
HPV vaccinations guard against infection brought on by the Human Papilloma Viruses group of more than 200 closely related viruses. Experts say early treatment prevents up to 80 percent of cervical cancer.
Roche and CAPED, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting cancer awareness, prevention, and early detection, have agreed to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem.
The partnership aims to reduce the high burden of cervical cancer, tackle the social stigma restraining cervical cancer screening and elevate public awareness about screening for the preventable cancer type in India.
The partnership with CAPED is part of Roche’s broader commitment to improving cancer care globally. The company has a long-standing legacy of innovation in cancer diagnostics and therapies and has been at the forefront to develop new approaches to cancer care.
It will build on the success of Roche’s cervical cancer awareness campaign dubbed ‘Be Your Own Shero’ aimed at encouraging women to take charge of their lives.
In line with the terms of the agreement, CAPED will reach out to companies based in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore to conduct around 100 awareness workshops to encourage women employees to take charge of their health.
The community awareness workshops will help women to understand the benefits of HPV DNA screening, recommend screening frequency, and educate them about the need to take a clinically validated test to ensure optimal test efficiency.
In addition, Roche Diagnostics India and CAPED will work closely to bridge the gap in awareness among the masses about cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus, particularly to develop innovative strategies that go beyond the traditional healthcare response.
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