Greetings and Welcome…!
ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention & Research (ICMR-NICPR) is the country’s premier Institute for carrying out research in the field of Cancer Prevention. The Institute has been recognized for the contributions made in developing and validating strategies for cervical cancer screening in the country as well as in training faculty, research scholars, and students for carrying out screening of prevalent cancers namely oral, breast, and uterine cervix.
The Institute has laid continued emphasis on primordial, primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of various cancers. The Division of Cytopathology has been carrying out cytology-based screening/ early detection of prevalent cancers. Screening for cervical and anal cancer, through cytology and HPV testing, is being undertaken in high-risk population (women living with HIV) in an effort to guide policy decisions on screening in such individuals. Training programs focused on cytology-based cervical cancer screening through the virtual platform and live microscopy sessions have been initiated for capacity building of pathologists, especially in remote areas.
Last two years 2020-22 were marred with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Institute established a High Throughput Viral Diagnostic Laboratory which was inaugurated by the Honourable Prime Minister on 27th July 2020 to support SARS-CoV2 RT PCR testing for Western UP and Delhi. We have tested more than 21 lakh samples till March 2022. The Institute also engaged in the National Sero-Surveillance that includes adult health workers and children in the districts of Gautam Budh Nagar, Amroha and Saharanpur and accomplished four rounds of Sero-Surveillance. The Institute supported ICMR in the follow-up of recipients of COVID-19 vaccination in districts of Haryana. A mixed-method multicentric study on the Mental health and social stigma among healthcare personnel involved in the management of COVID-19 patients in India highlighted the various concerns of the healthcare providers. These results have important policy implications.