Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Saturday that India will contribute $7.5 million, including 40 million doses of vaccines, to support cervical cancer prevention efforts in Indo-Pacific countries under GAVI and the Quad initiatives. The declaration was made during the Quad Leaders Cancer Moonshot event, where leaders from the Quad nations pledged their commitments to fighting cervical cancer in the region.Speaking at the event in Delaware, PM Modi expressed gratitude to U.S. President Joe Biden and highlighted the importance of collaboration in tackling global health challenges. “In the Quad, we have decided to jointly address issues like cervical cancer. An integrated approach of prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment is necessary to reduce the burden of cancer,” said Modi.My remarks at the Quad Leaders Cancer Moonshot event. https://t.co/Q9avnKJVs6— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 21, 2024Indias commitment to cancer preventionReflecting on Indias efforts, PM Modi shared that the country has launched a cost-effective cervical cancer screening program at a national level. He also noted that India is running the worlds largest health insurance scheme, providing affordable medicines through specialized centers. Moreover, India has developed its own cervical cancer vaccine, and innovative treatment protocols utilizing Artificial Intelligence are being introduced.India is ready to share its expertise and experience in cancer care, PM Modi added, highlighting the importance of knowledge exchange. The Prime Minister also announced the support of sampling kits, detection kits, and vaccines worth $7.5 million for the Indo-Pacific region.Collaborative efforts in cancer care under quads leadershipThe Cancer Moonshot, a key initiative led by the Quad nations, aims to save lives in the Indo-Pacific by addressing cervical cancer. The United States, through the U.S. Navy and other partnerships, will support this initiative, while Japan and Australia have also committed technical assistance, equipment, and international collaboration to boost efforts in the region.India will also contribute by offering HPV sampling kits and digital health infrastructure through a $10 million commitment to the WHOs Global Initiative on Digital Health. When the Quad acts, it is not just for nations. This is the true essence of our human-centric approach,” concluded Modi.
