The Union Health Ministry is preparing to launch a series of capacity-building initiatives aimed at frontline health workers responsible for administering the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. This move aligns with the interim budget speech of 2024, where Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized promoting HPV vaccination for girls aged 9–14 to prevent cervical cancer.
Strategic Planning Underway
According to official sources, the Ministry has already conducted multiple high-level meetings. It is now finalizing a comprehensive strategy to ensure effective implementation.
“Roll-out of capacity building activities for the frontline workers and IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) activities for sensitisation purposes are being planned with respect to HPV vaccination,” said a senior official.
NTAGI Endorsement and Vaccine Availability
In June 2022, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) recommended including the HPV vaccine in India’s Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) for girls aged 9 to 14. Currently, two quadrivalent vaccines—Gardasil 4 by MSD Pharmaceuticals and Cervavac by the Serum Institute of India—are available. These target four HPV sub-types: 6, 11, 16, and 18.
As reported by theprint, additionally, MSD’s Gardasil 9, India’s first gender-neutral HPV vaccine, is also available. This 9-valent vaccine provides protection against nine HPV sub-types (6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58). It is approved for use in girls and women aged 9–26 years, and boys aged 9–15 years.
Broader Protection Against Multiple Cancers
HPV vaccines help prevent cervical, vulvar, and vaginal cancers in females. They also protect against anal cancer and genital warts in both males and females. Sources confirm that HPV types 16 and 18 cause the majority of cervical cancer cases in India.
The World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends a single-dose HPV vaccine regimen, stating it offers optimal protection, especially in adolescents.
Cervical Cancer: A Major Public Health Concern
India bears a disproportionate burden of cervical cancer cases worldwide. Indian women make up 16% of the global female population. However, India accounts for about 25% of all cervical cancer cases and nearly 33% of related deaths.
Experts report that Indian women face a 1.6% lifetime risk of developing cervical cancer and a 1% risk of dying from it. Alarmingly, recent estimates suggest that cervical cancer diagnoses affect around 80,000 Indian women annually, and the disease claims 35,000 lives each year.
Moving Forward
The government aims to enhance HPV vaccine coverage through targeted training for healthcare workers. Public awareness campaigns will also help reduce cervical cancer incidence. These efforts represent a critical step toward eliminating one of India’s most preventable yet deadly diseases among women.