Union Health Ministry removes Poonam Pandey's name from cervical awareness campaign after he faked death

Model and actress Poonam Pandey, who recently performed a fake death stunt to create public awareness about cervical cancer, turned out to be the worst publicity stunt for the actress.

Mumbai: The government's national campaign to raise awareness of cervical cancer does not currently include an actor's model Poonam Pandey as a brand ambassador, according to Union Health Ministry officials, as reported by news agency PTI on Wednesday. Recently, the actress reportedly faked her death to raise awareness about the seriousness of cervical cancer, but her publicity stunt backfired and several celebrities from the film industry condemned her heinous act.

Is the Union Health Ministry planning to work with Poonam Pandey? Here's the truth

The clarification came following reports that Poonam would lead the campaign from the front. There were also rumors that she and her team were in talks with ministry officials.

This is what Poonam Pandey posted on her Instagram:

On February 2, 2024, Poonam Pandey's official Instagram account announced the tragic news of her death due to cervical cancer. Her PR team expressed their deep sorrow as they shared, “We are deeply saddened to inform you of the loss of our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer (sic).” Despite this announcement, many Bollywood celebrities were unaware that it was actually a publicity stunt orchestrated by Poonam Pandey. Her manager confirmed the news of her death to various media outlets, stating that she had succumbed to cervical cancer on Thursday evening.

Take a look at Poonam Pandey's reaction:

Within 24 hours of her fake death, Poonam Pandey was rumored to be alive and recently the diva came out with a video on Instagram. She explained: 'Unlike some other cancers, cervical cancer is completely preventable. The key lies in the HPV vaccine and early detection tests. We have the tools to ensure that no one loses their life to this disease.”

She further added, “Let us empower each other with critical consciousness and ensure that every woman is informed about the steps they need to take. Let us strive together to end the devastating impact of the disease and bring #DeathToCervicalCancer (sic).”

Poonam's fake death stunt brings Media Co. into trouble

Schbang, the media organization that participated in Poonam's staged death hoax, apologized after the negative impact of their campaign. The Mumbai-based company took responsibility for its involvement in the fake stunt, which received a lot of backlash on social media from both celebrities and the public.

However, the company also pointed out that Poonam's fake death gave them a boost in the search for cervical cancer on the internet.