Centre to launch nationwide HPV vaccination drive to prevent cervical cancer
Government to offer free HPV shots to 14-year-old girls
In a landmark move to strengthen women’s health and eliminate preventable cancers, Centre is set to soon launch the nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme.
The initiative aims to protect adolescent girls against cervical cancer - one of the most common yet preventable cancers affecting women in India. The programme aligns with the recommendations of the WHO, which identifies HPV vaccination as a central pillar of the Global Strategy to Eliminate Cervical Cancer.
India’s national programme will use Gardasil, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine that protects against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause cervical cancer, as well as types 6 and 11. Strong global and Indian scientific evidence confirms that a single dose provides robust and durable protection when administered to girls in the recommended age group, officials said.
With the forthcoming launch, India will join 160 countries worldwide that have already introduced HPV vaccination into their national immunization schedules. Globally, over 90 countries are implementing single-dose HPV vaccination schedules, improving coverage and affordability. Several countries have already demonstrated substantial reductions in HPV infection, precancerous lesions, and cervical cancer incidence following widespread vaccination.
“The nationwide programme will target girls aged 14 years, an age at which the HPV vaccine offers maximum preventive benefit, well before potential exposure to the virus. Vaccination under the national programme will be voluntary and free of cost, ensuring equitable access across socio-economic groups. By prioritising prevention at the right age, the programme is expected to provide lifelong protection and significantly reduce the future burden of cervical cancer in the country,” officials said.
HPV vaccination under the national programme will be conducted exclusively at designated government health facilities, including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Primary Health Centres), Community Health Centres, Sub-District and District Hospitals, and Government Medical Colleges.
Each vaccination session will be carried out in the presence of trained Medical Officers, supported by skilled healthcare teams and equipped for post-vaccination observation and management of any rare adverse events. All vaccination sites will be linked to 24×7 government health facilities, ensuring immediate medical support and reinforcing safety and parental confidence.
To ensure uninterrupted availability and uncompromised quality, the Government has secured HPV vaccine supplies through a transparent, globally supported procurement mechanism. Under India’s partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, high-quality Gardasil vaccines—approved by India’s drug regulator and widely used internationally—have been made available for the national programme.
The estimated number of deaths due to cervical cancer cases in the country in 2023 was 35,691 according to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data. In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav, last year informed the Parliament that the the estimated number of deaths due to cervical cancer in India was 34,806 in 2022, 33,938 in 2021, 33,095 in 2020 and 32,246 in 2019.
Sources within the health ministry said that cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women in India, with nearly 80,000 new cases and over 42,000 deaths reported annually. Scientific evidence establishes that almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by persistent infection with high-risk types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), particularly HPV types 16 and 18, which together account for more than 80% of cervical cancer cases in India.
Despite being largely preventable through vaccination and early screening, cervical cancer continues to impose a heavy burden on women and families. The forthcoming HPV vaccination programme directly addresses this challenge by preventing HPV infection before it can progress to cancer.
HPV vaccines are among the most extensively studied vaccines worldwide, with evidence demonstrating 93-100% effectiveness in preventing cervical cancer caused by vaccine-covered HPV types.
