India to Roll Out Nationwide HPV Vaccination for 14-Year-Old Girls
India to Roll Out Nationwide HPV Vaccination for 14-Year-Old Girls
A single-dose HPV vaccine program targets girls of 14, with robust safety monitoring as cervical cancer prevention takes center stage.
India is launching a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme for girls aged 14, a move aimed at dramatically reducing cervical cancer risk. The vaccination will be conducted exclusively at designated government health facilities, under the supervision of trained medical officers and skilled health-care teams, with post-vaccination observation and management of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI).
A single-dose vaccine, aligned with WHO recommendations, will be deployed. There is ample evidence that most cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with high-risk HPV types, particularly 16 and 18, which together account for more than 80% of cervical cancer cases in India. Global experience shows that vaccination, coupled with regular screening, can prevent cervical cancer and improve outcomes if detected early.
Globally, more than 90 countries have implemented single-dose HPV vaccination schedules, reporting reductions in HPV infection and cervical pre-cancerous lesions where such programs are in place. The move comes as a reminder of the vaccine’s potential to save lives in a context where vaccine hesitancy has gained traction in parts of the world, underscoring the importance of safety surveillance and clear public communication.
Regionally, the South-East Asia Region (SEARO) bears a substantial cervical cancer burden, and India accounts for a large share of this burden. The introduction of this programme is framed as a critical, life-saving intervention to curb cervical cancer, foster early detection, and protect the health of adolescent girls across the country.
