New Delhi, March 11 -- There is an urgent need for gender-sensitive healthcare policies and women-centric preventive diagnostics with focus on cancer screening, mental well-being and the role of integrated diagnostics in early disease detection, according to experts from diverse fields.

Alarmingly, only 1 per cent of women in India undergo screening for cervical cancer, far below the World Health Organization's recommended target of 70 per cent. Also, screening rates for oral and breast cancer remain just as low, highlighting a critical gap in early detection that requires immediate attention.

Dr. Mallika Nadda, President of Special Olympics Bharat, Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Advisory Council, and Founder of Chetna Sansthan, Himach...