SHILLONG, April 27: In many parts of India, awareness about cervical cancer is slowly improving. States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu have seen better numbers, where around 2-3% of women have undergone cancer screenings and over 60% of households have health insurance coverage to support preventive healthcare. But in Meghalaya, the picture looks very different — and concerning.
Data from ICMR shows that in Meghalaya, only 0.4 to 0.6% of women aged 30-49 have ever gone through screening for cervical cancer. Similarly, very few women have had a breast exam (1.3%) or an oral cancer screening (0.2-0.5%). Among men too, oral cancer screening rates are low, at just 0.6%, compared to 2.3% in better-performing states.
Vaccination, which is a key step to prevent cervical cancer, also needs urgent attention. While 56% of children in Meghalaya have received three doses of the pentavalent or hepatitis B vaccine, there is very little data available on HPV vaccination
In terms of basic health facilities, Meghalaya performs relatively well. About 81% of people have access to improved sanitation, and 83% use clean fuel for cooking. However, when it comes to financial protection through health insurance, only 52.8% of households are covered — much lower than states where insurance coverage is 63-66%.
This lack of awareness and access is worrying because cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers if caught early or avoided with vaccination. Across India, several states have started large-scale HPV vaccination drives in schools and health centers. Meghalaya too must follow with focused campaigns, particularly in rural areas where misconceptions and lack of knowledge are most common.
