Message from the CEO

Dear Friends,

Welcome to CAPED-CONNECT, Vol. 4. As we close the year, I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has supported CAPED and believed in our mission.

This quarter has been especially meaningful for us. We are grateful to be selected as a Global Awardee of the Lever for Change – Action for Women’s Health Challenge, a milestone that will help us scale preventive cancer care and strengthen our community outreach across India. Alongside this, our in-country efforts through school-based HPV awareness, ASHA capacity building, and community engagement continue to reach more people. These efforts were also showcased at the IPVS Conference 2025 in Bangkok and recognised at the Social Outcomes Conference 2025 at Oxford University.

As we reflect on the year gone by, I extend my warmest thanks to all who have been part of this journey. Wishing you a Happy New Year, filled with good health and hope.

Warm regards,
Mridu Gupta
CEO, CAPED India

We Are an Awardee: CAPED India Recognized Globally for Advancing Women’s Health

CAPED India has been selected as one of the 80+ Global Awardees of the Lever for Change Action for Women’s Health Challenge, supported by Melinda French Gates. Chosen from more than 4,000 organisations across 119 countries, this global recognition highlights the transformative work CAPED is doing to close critical cancer prevention gaps among women in underserved communities. This award acknowledges not only the urgency of women’s health needs in India but also the effectiveness, scalability, and impact of CAPED’s model in addressing them.
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Recognised for Best Use of Animation at ANN Awards 2025

Our HPV Vaccine Awareness Campaign has been recognised at the ANN Awards 2025, winning Best Use of Animation in a Public Service Message.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Ghost Note Media and MAG Films for their impactful and thoughtful execution that helped amplify this vital message.

Oxford Highlight: CAPED’s Screening & ASHA Capacity Initiative Featured at SOC25

CAPED’s project on Cancer Screening and ASHA Capacity Building has been selected for presentation at SOC25 – the Social Outcomes Conference 2025, hosted at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, UK. The selection marks a significant global recognition of CAPED’s work in strengthening community-led cancer screening initiatives in India.SOC25 received over 100 abstract submissions, of which only 25 were selected, making CAPED’s inclusion a notable achievement. The conference formed part of the 12th International Conference.
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CAPED at the 37th IPVC 2025: India’s Innovations Take Global Stage

The 37th International Papillomavirus Conference (IPVC) held in Bangkok from October 23–26, 2025, brought together more than 100 countries and some of the world’s foremost experts in HPV prevention and cervical cancer elimination. Among them, CAPED, India’s cervical cancer advocacy organisation, made a strong and meaningful presence, showcasing community-driven innovations, survivor-led narratives, and scalable public health models.
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CAPED Collaborates with UNICEF, IIT Delhi, and Health Leaders on India’s 90-70-90 Targets

CAPED CAPED participated in the Stakeholder Workshop on Accelerating India’s 90-70-90 Targets, a high-level convening that brought together national and global experts, policymakers, academic leaders, and implementation partners to drive coordinated action toward cervical cancer elimination. Organized by the Department of Preventive Oncology, National Cancer Institute, AIIMS Delhi, in collaboration with the Department of Management Studies, CCEC-I,  IIT Delhi and UNICEF India, the workshop focused.
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CAPED Joins WHO’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Day: Act Now for Women’s Health

On 17 November, CAPED proudly participated in WHO’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Day, a global movement dedicated to eradicating cervical cancer and protecting women and girls worldwide. The campaign emphasizes urgent action, highlighting the importance of HPV vaccination for girls, regular cervical cancer screening for women, and timely treatment for those affected.CAPED amplified this global message through a collaborative social media campaign with leading organizations, ACS, CFI, and BCC.
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Project Updates

Shot of Life: Building Knowledge, Protecting Futures

CAPED, in partnership with News18, continues to advance its mission to eliminate cervical cancer through its school-based awareness initiative, “Shot of Life.” The campaign focuses on equipping adolescents with accurate, science-backed information on HPV and cervical cancer prevention at a critical age.

So far, the initiative has reached 4,086 students across 18 schools in Bengaluru, Chennai, Kozhikode, and Ahmedabad, engaging students from Classes 7–9 through interactive sessions and relatable storytelling. These efforts are particularly significant given that India loses one woman every eight minutes to cervical cancer, underscoring the urgent need for early awareness and prevention.

Over three months, Shot of Life will be rolled out across 30 schools in eight cities, including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Kochi/Kozhikode, and Guwahati. By fostering informed conversations in classrooms and beyond, CAPED and News18 aim to build a generation that is proactive about preventive healthcare and women’s health.

Cancer Screening Camp in Rural India – Sanjeevani Initiative

Partners: CAPED India, Network18 Media and Investment Ltd., Federal Bank, & Tata Trust.

Location: Alwar and Mewat

Target: Cervical, Breast, and Oral cancer screening for women and Oral cancer screening for men

Key highlights: to conduct comprehensive cancer screening camps across eight rural locations in India, aiming to screen 4,000 individuals for the early detection of cervical, breast, and oral cancers among women, and oral cancer screening among men. The targeted locations included Palwal, Mewat, Mathura, Alwar, Rajsamand, Kheda, Bathinda, and Dhanbad. As of November, screening camps were successfully conducted in Alwar and Mewat, reaching over 3169 individuals.

CAPED’s Vaccination Program with Avant Garde and Avad

Project Name: Implementing HPV Awareness & Vaccination for Preventing Cervical and Other HPV-related Cancers Among Girls
Partners: Avant-Garde Cleanroom & Engineering Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (Funder), CAPED (Implementing Agency), Avad CSR Advisory (Facilitating Agency), Karkinos Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. (Inoculation Agency)

Location: Delhi NCR
Target: HPV Vaccination for girls residing in underprivileged communities

Key highlights: Through this initiative, we successfully vaccinated 365 girls from underprivileged backgrounds against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), helping protect them from HPV-related health risks.

Cervical Cancer Prevention through Community Outreach Project for Uptake of HPV Vaccination and Cervical Screening in India

Partners: American Cancer Society (ACS), Tresna Foundation (Gujarat), SPSS Foundation (Rajasthan)

Locations: Kheda (Gujarat) & Rajsamand (Rajasthan)

Focus areas: Cervical, Breast, and Oral Cancer – Prevention & Early Detection

Key highlights:- Through this ongoing initiative, we aim to strengthen cancer prevention and early detection in rural communities by promoting HPV vaccination and comprehensive screening services. As of November, we have successfully screened over 1,934 individuals in Kheda (Gujarat) and Rajsamand (Rajasthan) for cervical, breast, and oral cancers. This project continues to increase awareness and access to life‑saving screening services in underserved areas.