PM Modi Pledges USD 7.5 Million to Fight Cervical Cancer

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a USD 7.5 million commitment to support the fight against cervical cancer, providing sampling kits, detection kits, and vaccines to various nations. Speaking at the Cancer Moonshot event in Delaware on Saturday, Modi emphasized India's vision of "One Earth, One Health" and its readiness to share expertise in combating cervical cancer.

The Cancer Moonshot, an initiative launched by the White House, aims to bring renewed leadership to cancer research and treatment. It fosters collaboration across various sectors, including federal agencies, private companies, healthcare providers, and patient groups, to drive progress in oncology.

During the event, Modi thanked President Joe Biden for organizing the initiative, highlighting the shared commitment to making healthcare affordable, accessible, and of high quality. He pointed out that, like the Quad Vaccine initiative taken during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Quad countries are now collaborating to tackle cervical cancer. "Collaboration is essential in cancer care," Modi stated, emphasizing the need for an integrated approach of prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment to reduce the cancer burden.

Modi also shared that India has developed its own cervical cancer vaccine and is introducing new treatment protocols using artificial intelligence. He highlighted India's cost-effective cervical cancer screening program and the country’s efforts to provide affordable medicines through its large-scale health insurance scheme. 

"India is ready to share its experience and expertise," the Prime Minister added, announcing that India would also cooperate in radiotherapy treatment and capacity building. Moreover, he pledged 40 million vaccine doses for Indo-Pacific countries under GAVI and Quad initiatives, which he described as a "ray of hope" for millions of people.

The Cancer Moonshot has already spurred significant actions across the U.S. government and private sector, launching over 95 new programs and collaborations. Additionally, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi facilitated the first-ever US-India Cancer Moonshot Dialogue held in August at the National Institute of Immunology to strengthen bilateral biomedical research cooperation and jointly develop global health solutions.

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