NEW DELHI, Feb 24: The Union Health Ministry is set to launch a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme targeting girls aged 14 years. The vaccination will be voluntary and free of cost, ensuring equitable access across socio-economic groups.
India will use Gardasil, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine, for protection from HPV types 16 and 18, which cause cervical cancer, as well as types 6 and 11. “Global and Indian scientific evidence confirms that a single dose provides robust and durable protection when administered to girls in the recommended age group,’’ a senior Health Ministry official said.
“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,” the official said. To ensure uninterrupted availability and quality, India has secured HPV vaccine supplies through a transparent, globally supported procurement mechanism.
“Under India’s partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Gardasil vaccines, which are approved by India’s drug regulator and widely used internationally, have been made available for the national programme. The procurement follows stringent quality and cold chain standards, enabling the government to provide the vaccine free of cost to eligible girls across all States and Union Territories,’’ the official said.
HPV vaccination under the national programme will be conducted exclusively at designated government health facilities, including the 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.
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 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,’’ the Health Ministry said.
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. The vaccine is non-live, does not cause HPV infection, and has a good safety record, supported by more than 500 million doses administered globally since its introduction in 2006.
Meanwhile, 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, pre-cancerous lesions, and cervical cancer incidence following widespread vaccination.
India’s approach is grounded in global best practices, national disease burden evidence, and expert recommendations of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, a Health Ministry official said.
(Manas Dasgupta)