Early Detection Drive : More than 10 Crores Women screened for Cervical Cancer under Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and NHM
PharmaGenDrx News Bureau – 2nd August, 2025
9:00 AM IST
India achieves notable progress towards safeguarding women’s health in a recent drive led by
the National Health Mission (NHM) enforced by Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs).
Throughout the country, more than 10 crore women were screened for cervical cancer within the age band of 30- 65 years. This initiative was proposed to combat the strides towards Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Nationwide, an intricate web of NCD camps was responsible for carrying out these screenings in a time-bound campaign of 40 days from 20th February until 31st March 2025. The ground-level workers, i.e., Accredited Social Health Activists, commonly known as ASHA workers, used Community Based Assessment Checklists forms, or CBAC forms, to gain input about the target subjects.
These forms include general information and health-related questionnaires that comprise overall well-being and observations of everyday symptoms that may get overlooked. This resulted in getting a proper patient history for easy diagnosis.
The screenings were conducted in Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), wherein the application of acetic acid using a cotton swab to the cervix enabled the sampler to inspect prospects of abnormalities by colour change visually. Any such observations, if found, the patient would be directed to the state hospital or a higher organisation for further detection and treatment.
The commitment of NCD camps is not only limited to screening but also ensuring that the people of their designated areas lead a healthy lifestyle, and spreading awareness of the dynamic and evolving NCD trends. These programs are funded by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the success of which was marked by Shri Pratap Rao Jadhav, the Union Minister for State and Family Welfare, on 25th July, 2025, Friday, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha samiti.
By Sharon Bose and Arundhuti Chatterjee
