One woman dies every 8 minutes in India from cervical cancer: Oncologist shares 5 critical steps to prevent it
Published on: Feb. 27, 2026, 7:28 p.m. | Source: Times of India
India carries one of the world’s heaviest cervical cancer burdens. According to data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) One woman dies every 8 minutes in India from cervical cancer. It remains one of the leading cancers among Indian women.Behind every number is a delayed diagnosis, a missed screening, or a vaccine that was never taken.“As a Senior medical oncologist of a leading cancer center in Bangalore, I want to emphasize that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers we come across. Yet, in a country of 1.4 billion people, telling a woman she has cervical cancer is still one of the toughest conversations. Often, this diagnosis comes at a stage where it could have been avoided,” says Dr Vishwanath Sathyanarayanan, Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist & Academic Advisor, Apollo Hospitals Bangalore.He adds, “This situation is especially painful because cervical cancer develops slowly, sometimes over many years. That long timeline gives us chances to detect it early or prevent it entirely.”That slow timeline is both the danger and the opportunity.Here are 5 ways prevention can truly work.
