Cervical cancer elimination in India: Repurposing diagnostics, vaccination, and accelerating policy for the 2030 target

Cervical cancer remains one of the most significant yet preventable causes of cancer-related mortality among women in India. Current estimates indicate that the country reports approximately 127,000 new cases and nearly 80,000 deaths annually, accounting for about one fifth of the global burden. Despite advances in vaccination, screening, and molecular diagnostics, coverage remains critically low: fewer than 2% of women undergo screening, and less than 1% have received a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The introduction of the indigenous quadrivalent vaccine Cervavac in 2023 has provided renewed momentum; however, limitations in infrastructure, public awareness, and stratic barrier to implementation continue to hinder progress toward achieving the World Health Organization's 2030 elimination targets. This opinion article highlights the epidemiological landscape, diagnostic and programmatic barriers, and emphasis to repurpose India's vast coronavirus disease-era reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction network for HPV molecular testing. Integrating HPV vaccination into the Universal Immunization Program and incorporating the HPV Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) into the National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) are critical steps for accelerating India's pathway to cervical cancer elimination by 2030.