New Delhi: In a major breakthrough, doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, have developed a nanotechnology-based visual diagnostic kit for detecting cervical cancer that is affordable, quick, and highly accurate. Unlike traditional tests that cost lakhs and take days to deliver results, the new kit provides accurate detection within just two hours at a cost of under ₹100.
Tested on 400 patients, the diagnostic tool has shown 100% accuracy in identifying cervical cancer caused by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). What makes it more impactful is that it can be used not only by doctors but also by ASHA workers and nurses at primary health centres, significantly improving access to early detection in rural and underserved regions.
“This kit can do in two hours what machines costing nearly ₹30 lakh used to take days to accomplish. At private hospitals, the test costs around ₹6,000, while at AIIMS it is still ₹2,000–3,000. Our goal was to make it affordable and accessible to everyone,” said Dr. Subhash Chandra Yadav, Additional Professor at the Electron and Microscope Facility, Department of Anatomy.
The innovation was developed under the leadership of Dr. Yadav, along with Dr. Neerja Bhatla, former Head of the Department of Gynaecology, and researchers Jyoti Meena, Shikha Chaudhary, and Pranay Tanwar. The team received a ₹6 lakh cash award after the kit was recognised as the best innovation at the National Bio Entrepreneurship Competition (NBEC) 2025, also attracting venture capital interest for commercial rollout.
Doctors clarified that the kit is not designed for self-testing at this stage, as further evaluation is needed. However, with trained frontline health workers being able to use it, the innovation promises to revolutionise screening and treatment pathways for cervical cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among Indian women.
Health experts believe this low-cost, quick diagnostic tool could save thousands of lives annually by enabling timely treatment, especially in rural areas where access to advanced diagnostic machines is scarce.
