HPV Vaccination to be Universalised for Adolescent Girls in India

HPV Vaccination to be Universalised for Adolescent Girls in India – Key Details and Significance

India plans to universalise HPV vaccination for all adolescent girls to prevent cervical cancer. Learn about the policy, benefits, target age group, and public health significance.

Table of Contents

Context

India is preparing to launch a free nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme targeting adolescent girls aged around 14 years.

About India’s HPV Vaccination Programme

Target Population: The programme primarily targets girls aged about 14 years, as vaccination before exposure to HPV provides maximum protection.
Free Vaccination: The vaccine will be provided free of cost across all States and Union Territories, ensuring equitable access regardless of income or geography.
Voluntary Vaccination: Participation remains voluntary to maintain ethical consent-based healthcare delivery.
Vaccine Being Used: India will administer Gardasil, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine that protects against:
- HPV 16 and 18 — major cervical cancer causing strains.
- HPV 6 and 11 — responsible for genital warts.
The vaccine is non-live and cannot cause HPV infection.
Single-Dose Strategy: Following emerging global evidence, India plans a single-dose vaccination schedule, which studies show provides durable protection. More than 90 countries globally have adopted similar simplified schedules to improve coverage and affordability.
Institutional and Delivery Mechanism: Vaccination will be conducted exclusively at government health facilities including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Primary Health Centres), Community Health Centres and District Hospitals
Global Procurement and Quality Assurance: India has secured vaccines through internationally supported procurement mechanisms under partnership with Gavi, ensuring affordability and quality compliance.

About HPV

● Human Papillomavirus is a group of more than 200 related viruses transmitted primarily through skin-to-skin or sexual contact. While many HPV infections resolve naturally, certain high-risk strains persist and lead to cancers.

HPV and Cervical Cancer Link

● Scientific evidence shows that almost all cervical cancer cases are caused by HPV infection. In India:

● Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina (birth canal).

● Nearly 80,000 new cervical cancer cases occur annually.

● Around 42,000 deaths are reported every year.

● HPV types 16 and 18 alone account for over 80% of cases.

Cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among Indian women, especially affecting women in lower socio-economic and rural populations where screening access is limited

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