Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Programme for 14-year-old girls from Ajmer in Rajasthan on Friday.
The nationwide rollout marks a major public health initiative aimed at preventing cervical cancer and advancing the government’s vision of “Swastha Nari”, with a focus on prevention, protection and equity in women’s healthcare.
The programme is expected to cover around 1.15 crore girls aged 14 years annually across all States and Union Territories. The vaccine will be provided free of cost at designated government health facilities, including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Community Health Centres, Sub-District and District Hospitals, as well as Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals.
Officials said vaccination will be voluntary and informed consent from parents or guardians will be obtained prior to administration.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in India, with over 1.2 lakh new cases and nearly 80,000 deaths each year, according to GLOBOCAN 2022 data. Medical experts state that almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by persistent infection with high-risk types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), particularly types 16 and 18, which account for more than 80 per cent of cases in India.
The national programme will use the quadrivalent HPV vaccine, Gardasil. Globally, more than 500 million doses of HPV vaccines have been administered since 2006, with scientific evidence indicating near 100 per cent effectiveness in preventing cervical cancer caused by vaccine-covered HPV types.
With the launch, India will join over 160 countries that have incorporated HPV vaccination into their national immunisation schedules. The special campaign will be conducted in mission mode for three months, during which eligible girls can receive the vaccine daily at designated facilities. Thereafter, it will continue under the routine immunisation programme.
The initiative underscores the government’s focus on preventive healthcare and large-scale immunisation as key pillars of public health reform.