MSD India has launched a nationwide cervical cancer awareness initiative in collaboration with actor and public figure Madhuri Dixit Nene. The campaign aims to increase conversations around women’s preventive healthcare and encourage women and parents across India to consult doctors about cervical cancer and preventive healthcare options.
The initiative addresses the growing need for awareness around cervical cancer, which remains one of the most common cancers affecting women in India. According to the Globocan HPV India Report 2023, nearly one woman in India dies every seven minutes from cervical cancer, amounting to approximately 200 deaths each day. The campaign positions awareness and timely medical consultation as critical elements in addressing delayed preventive healthcare behaviour.
As part of the campaign, MSD India has released a series of short digital films featuring Madhuri Dixit across digital platforms. The films use factual and relatable storytelling to highlight cervical cancer awareness, its link to the human papillomavirus (HPV), and the importance of consulting healthcare professionals. Through the content, the campaign encourages women and parents to initiate discussions with gynaecologists and paediatricians regarding cervical cancer prevention and preventive healthcare measures.
The communication strategy focuses on addressing the tendency among individuals and families to delay healthcare decisions until symptoms appear. The films underline the importance of proactive healthcare conversations and reinforce the role of awareness in encouraging informed decision-making.
The campaign also aims to bring women’s health conversations into mainstream public discourse by using digital storytelling and celebrity-led advocacy to improve engagement and visibility. By associating with Madhuri Dixit, MSD India is leveraging a familiar public figure to make conversations around preventive healthcare more accessible and relatable to audiences across demographics.
Brecht Vanneste, managing director, MSD India region, said, “Cervical cancer awareness and early consultation are a critical public health priority. Raising awareness about HPV and preventive healthcare can significantly improve long-term health outcomes for women. At MSD, we are committed to supporting initiatives that encourage informed conversations and empower women to take proactive steps to protect their health.”
Sharing her perspective on the initiative, Madhuri Dixit said, “Women often put their own health last while taking care of everyone else. Women’s health deserves attention, priority, and open conversations. Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers where awareness and informed discussion play an important role. Through this initiative, I hope more women and families feel empowered to speak with their doctors about cervical cancer and appropriate preventive healthcare. Speaking with a doctor is an act of self-care, and it should never be postponed.”
Through the campaign, MSD India aims to contribute to broader public health awareness efforts centred on prevention, education and informed healthcare decisions. The initiative also highlights that while HPV clears on its own for most people, persistent infection can lead to certain HPV-related cancers and diseases.
The campaign clarifies that the views expressed are intended to encourage general health awareness and should not be considered medical advice. MSD India has also stated that the initiative supports existing public health efforts and does not replace government-led cervical cancer prevention, screening or immunisation programmes.
