In Northeast India, the gap between cancer risk and access to prevention is stark. ICMR–NCDIR’s 2021–2022 reports documented India’s highest male cancer incidence in Mizoram’s Aizawl, alongside a substantial burden in Meghalaya. Its regional survey found 48.6% of adults used tobacco, while only 1% of women reported ever undergoing cervical screening. Varied tobacco, alcohol and dietary practices call for responses grounded in local realities. Since 2005, CFI has worked with communities, health professionals and state partners to make prevention understandable, trusted and accessible.

CFI begins with evidence. In Sikkim and Mizoram, it coordinated cohorts involving around 1,000 girls in an IARC-led HPV vaccine study. Fifteen years of follow-up contributed to international evidence supporting fewer doses, helping make vaccination more affordable and practical. Girls and families in the Northeast became contributors to knowledge with global significance.

Understanding barriers is equally important. Research in Meghalaya and Mizoram listened to frontline workers, officials, NGOs and communities to investigate low screening uptake. It identified fear, stigma, communication gaps and limited service resources. Published in 2026, these findings offer a foundation for improving how prevention is explained, organised and delivered.

CFI builds capability around these realities. Across the region, it has trained health professionals, supported government programmes and strengthened cancer communication. Breast-health initiatives have combined education, training and clinical examination, creating opportunities for women to discuss concerns and seek assessment.

Action grows through local partnerships. Connecting technical expertise with existing services and community relationships helps turn knowledge into practical prevention. CFI’s contribution extends beyond individual awareness to strengthening the people and systems that can sustain this work.

Evidence generates understanding; understanding shapes capability; capability enables action. Supporting CFI means investing in the research, trusted relationships and coordination that connect these stages. Further investment can help translate screening research into service improvements, equip frontline professionals and extend communication suited to local languages and concerns. Built on two decades of regional experience, this work offers partners a foundation for bringing prevention closer to underserved families and strengthening the capacity to sustain it.