Overview

Cervical cancer remains one of the most preventable yet deadly cancers among women in India. Despite advances in screening and vaccination, the country continues to report over 1.2 lakh new cases every year, highlighting major gaps in awareness, early detection, and access to preventive care.

In this episode of Health Dialogues, we speak with Priya Ganesh Kumar, Senior Gynaecologist, Colposcopist, Preventive Oncologist, and Medical Director at SaiNiwas Healthcare, to understand why cervical cancer still remains a major public health challenge in India.

Dr. Kumar explains the importance of regular screening, HPV vaccination, and early detection, and discusses the evolving shift toward HPV DNA testing as the primary screening tool. She also shares insights from her newly released book Colposcopy in Practical Gynecology, which integrates the latest global and Indian guidelines including World Health Organization elimination targets and updated clinical practices.

In this conversation, we discuss:

* Why cervical cancer continues to affect thousands of women in India every year

* Common myths and fears around cervical cancer screening and HPV

* The difference between Pap smear and HPV DNA testing

* The 90-70-90 elimination targets set by global health authorities

* Practical screening strategies for women in urban and rural India

* The role of doctors, policymakers, and communities in preventing cervical cancer

Dr. Kumar also shares a powerful message for women across India on why timely screening and vaccination can save lives.

📌 Watch the full discussion to learn how awareness, screening, and preventive care can help eliminate cervical cancer in the coming years.

Speakers

Dr Priya Ganeshkumar

Priya Ganesh Kumar (MD, DGO, DFP, FICOG) is a senior gynaecologist, colposcopist, and preventive oncologist, currently serving as the Medical Director of Sainiwas Healthcare, a chain of preventive oncology centres across India. Since its establishment in 2005 in Thane, Sainiwas Healthcare has focused on strengthening preventive healthcare, particularly cervical cancer screening and training medical professionals in colposcopy and early detection. With decades of experience in women’s health and cancer prevention, Dr. Kumar has been actively involved in advancing cervical cancer awareness, screening programs, and capacity building for healthcare providers across the country.

Dr. Bhumika Maikhuri

BDS, MDS

Dr Bhumika Maikhuri is a Consultant Orthodontist at Sanjeevan Hospital, Delhi. She is also working as a Correspondent and a Medical Writer at Medical Dialogues. She completed her BDS from Dr D Y patil dental college and MDS from Kalinga institute of dental sciences. Apart from dentistry, she has a strong research and scientific writing acumen. At Medical Dialogues, She focusses on medical news, dental news, dental FAQ and medical writing etc.