Message from the CEO

Dear Friends,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to our quarterly Newsletter, CAPED-CONNECT, Vol. 3 edition. I want to sincerely thank each one of you, our partners, supporters, and well-wishers for standing with us in our mission to prevent and fight cancer in India.

Over the past months, CAPED has made significant strides, from representing India’s grassroots voices at the Global Forum on Cervical Cancer Elimination, to launching the Sanjeevani – United Against Cancer project in rural India, rolling out multi-language HPV vaccine awareness videos, and supporting cancer warriors like Kunti Devi through patient navigation and care. Our team has also advanced research, trained health workers, and forged new partnerships to strengthen health systems.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to expanding community outreach, supporting policy change, and working hand-in-hand with governments to move closer to a cancer-free future. Together, we will make this vision a reality.

Warm regards,
Mridu Gupta
CEO, CAPED India

CAPED at the Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Forum, Bali

Mridu Gupta, CEO of CAPED India, represented the organization at the 2nd Global Forum on Cervical Cancer Elimination, held in Bali, Indonesia, from June 17–19, 2025. Organized by WHO, the Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the forum gathered global leaders to accelerate efforts to eliminate cervical cancer. CAPED shared grassroots insights from India, emphasizing community engagement, awareness, and screening challenges in rural and semi-urban areas—key to ensuring equity in HPV vaccination, screening, and treatment.
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Launch of Sanjeevani – United Against Cancer in Alwar, Rajasthan

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Cancer Screening Project in Rural India under the Sanjeevani – United Against Cancer initiative by News18, in partnership with Federal Bank, Tata Trusts, and CAPED. The project brings life-saving screening and awareness services directly to rural communities, ensuring early detection for thousands.
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Strengthening Health System: Technical Support Unit Inaugurated in Jharkhand

The first Technical Support Meeting, convened on July 19, 2025, at the State NHM Conference Room and chaired by the Mission Director of NHM and CAPED, brought together representatives from ICMR- NICPR AIIMS Delhi, IIT Delhi, as well as state and district officials. The meeting aimed to establish a structured technical support framework to enhance and boost health program implementation at the district level.
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Study to Strengthen Cervical Cancer Screening in Jharkhand

Cervical cancer remains a pressing health challenge in Jharkhand, where awareness and access to screening services are limited. To address this, CAPED Trust, with funding support from Becton Dickinson (BD), technical partnership from ICMR-NICPR, and collaboration with Asarfi Cancer Institute as the central testing hub, has launched a 12-month pilot project in Dhanbad district.
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Kunti Devi – Breast Cancer Survivor

Kunti Devi, a 59-year-old resident of Sitamarhi, Bihar, had been living with a lump in her breast for nearly one and a half years. She never imagined that it could turn into cancer. For a long time, she ignored it until the lump started causing her pain and water discharge, making it impossible to overlook.Gathering courage, she shared her condition with her daughter-in-law.
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CAPED Rolls Out Multi-Language HPV Vaccine Awareness Videos

CAPED, in partnership with GIAHC, CAPI, and PHRII, has launched a set of HPV vaccine awareness videos in English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Marathi. The initiative aims to educate adolescents and families about the importance of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer prevention in a way that is easy to understand and culturally relevant.
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Advancing the Mission

Shot of Life : Implementing HPV Awareness & Education in Preventing Cervical cancer among  school students

CAPED, in partnership with News18, is launching “Shot of Life” in schools across seven cities – Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kochi/Kozhikode, and Guwahati. Over the next three months, students from Classes 7–9 will learn about HPV and cervical cancer prevention, at a time when the disease continues to take the life of one woman every eight minutes in India.

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is soon to be introduced in India’s National Immunisation Programme, but until then, awareness plays a crucial role. Shot of Life is designed to make sure students and parents are already informed, ready, and confident when the HPV vaccine becomes available. By sparking early conversations in schools, the project hopes to build trust, break myths, and move India closer to its goal of eliminating cervical cancer.

CAPED Shines at IPVS 2025 in Bangkok!

We’re excited to share that CAPED will be representing India at the 37th Annual Conference of the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS 2025) in Thailand, Bangkok from 23rd to 26th October 2025! Two of our studies have been accepted for abstract presentation:

  1. Cervical Cancer Screening and Capacity Building of Accredited Social Health Activists: A Case Study from Delhi, India
  2. Institutionalizing Cervical Cancer Screening in the Public Health System: A District-Driven Model from India

Adding to the excitement, our CEO Ms. Mridu Gupta will take the stage as a panelist on “HPV Vaccination Advocacy: Raising Awareness through Cultural Sensitivity.” She will bring CAPED’s story to life, sharing how our teams work on the ground to empower communities, break myths, and increase vaccine acceptance — making real strides in preventing cervical cancer.

This is a proud moment for all of us, showing that CAPED’s efforts are not just changing lives in India, but also being recognized and celebrated on the global stage.

A New Milestone: Partnering with Uttarakhand for Cancer Elimination

CAPED is proud to announce a new chapter in its journey — the upcoming signing of an MoU with the Government of Uttarakhand. This partnership marks a significant step forward in strengthening health systems and advancing the fight against cancer in the state.

As part of this collaboration, CAPED will help establish a Technical Support Unit (TSU) comprising leading experts in cancer care and public health. The TSU will serve as a backbone of support for the state’s health initiatives, driving awareness, prevention, and early detection efforts to reduce the cancer burden.

For CAPED, this partnership is not just an agreement on paper. It is a commitment to bring its mission to the Himalayan state, to work hand-in-hand with the Uttarakhand Health Department, and to create pathways that make cancer care more accessible and effective for all.

The road ahead is challenging, but with collective will, expertise, and vision, this initiative has the power to bring meaningful change where it matters most — in the lives of people. Together, we take another bold step towards a Cancer-Free Future.

Leadership Training

Recently, we conducted a leadership workshop, “Leading without a Title”, where our leadership team underwent the Gallup Assessment for strength identification. The workshop offer edvaluable insights into different mindsets, helping us understand how to leverage our strengths for both personal and professional growth.

Every first Friday of the month, we come together for Chai-pe-Charcha (CPC) – an open forum where we not only discuss work but also check in on each other’s personal well-being. Furthermore, we organise Wellness Thursdays, where our team practices meditation and yoga together. These sessions give us a chance to pause, recharge, and care for our inner balance.

UPCOMING:

In the month of October, we have planned a workshop for the entire team on “The I in Innovation”.

Diwali is a time when we come together as one family to share the warmth and the fun. We will be coming together to celebrate the spirit of Diwali with our entire team.

Updates and Programs

Project Summary: Cervical Cancer Prevention through Community Outreach in India (CCP-I)

Partners: American Cancer Society (ACS), Tresna Foundation (Gujarat), SPSS Foundation (Rajasthan)
Duration: 25 May – 25 August 2025
Locations: Kheda (Gujarat) & Rajsamand (Rajasthan)
Focus Areas: Cervical, Breast, and Oral Cancer – Prevention & Early Detection

Key Highlights:

  • Community Awareness: 90,000+ women and community members reached
  • Screenings Done: 1,495+ women screened; 118 suspected/positive cases identified

Healthcare Worker Training:

  • 400+ ASHAs trained for mobilisation & patient support
  • 92 nurses/CHOs trained (including Master Trainers)

Patient Navigation: 41+ suspected cases referred for further diagnosis and treatment

PHC Strengthening:

  • 30+ PHCs/CHCs assessed & equipped in Rajasthan
  • PHCs strengthened in Gujarat

Government Support: MoUs signed; support from NP–NCD and District Health Departments

Referral Linkage: Referral Linkages: Set up with Civil Hospital Kheda, ND Desai Hospital Nadiad, and local CHCs