The Union Ministry of Health officials informed us on February 7 that actress Poonam Pandey will not be the face of the country's cervical cancer awareness campaign.

It comes a day after the news was widely reported that Pandey had been in discussion with ministry officials about heading the campaign.

News about Pandey's alleged death from the disease earlier this month caused a furor and led to online discussions. But later, it turned out that Pandey, with a team of six people, had stage-managed the story to provoke thought on cervical cancer.

In one of the videos posted on her official Instagram handle on February 3, Pandey gave a call for generating awareness regarding the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer. She advocated for the need for HPV vaccination and early screening tests to keep the disease at bay.

In her budget speech, the Union Minister announced the government's intention to promote vaccination for the prevention of cervical cancer among girls falling in the age group between 9 and 14. The Ministry of Health has been maintaining constant surveillance with regard to the incidence of cervical cancer, and necessary collaborations have been put in place with states and health departments.

The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization recommended the introduction of the HPV vaccine for adolescent girls aged 9–14 in June 2022. India alone accounted for a large percentage of the world's cervical cancer cases and deaths, with approximately 80,000 new cases and 35,000 deaths each year.

The two vaccines currently on the Indian market are priced at approximately Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,927 per dose, respectively—CERVAVAC and Gardasil 4.