PM Modi launches nationwide HPV vaccine drive for 14-year-old girls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a nationwide HPV vaccination drive on Saturday, February 28, 2026, aimed at protecting 14-year-old girls from cervical cancer. The formal inauguration took place at Kayad in Ajmer, where several beneficiaries were vaccinated as part of the rollout. The PM interacted with the beneficiaries, underscoring the campaign’s importance in safeguarding the health of young girls from a preventable disease.

Officials confirmed that a single-dose Gardasil 4 vaccine will be used across government health facilities, including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Primary Health Centres), Community Health Centres, sub-district and district hospitals, and government medical colleges and hospitals. Gardasil 4 covers HPV types 16 and 18, which are responsible for the majority of cervical cancers, as well as types 6 and 11.

States are stepping up to implement the drive. In Maharashtra, about 9.84 lakh girls aged 14 will be vaccinated as part of the nationwide campaign, with beneficiary registration and certificate issuance conducted digitally through the Central Government’s U-WIN portal. In Telangana, the program was launched at King Koti hospital in Hyderabad, illustrating the countrywide reach of the initiative. The Union Health Ministry has directed that all 14-year-old girls across the country receive a single dose of Gardasil 4 at government health facilities, spanning primary to tertiary care institutions, to maximize coverage and accessibility.

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