New Delhi: The nationwide campaign for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination which will be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will target approximately 1.15 crore girls aged 14 years every year across all states and Union territories, the Union health ministry said.
The vaccine will be provided free of cost at designated government health facilities. Vaccination will be conducted at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (primary health centres), community health centres, sub-district and district hospitals as well as government medical colleges and hospitals.
Vaccination will be voluntary and informed consent from parents or guardians will be obtained prior to administration, the ministry said adding the special campaign will run in mission mode over a three-month period, during which eligible girls can receive the vaccine daily at designated facilities.
Thereafter, the vaccine will continue to be available on routine immunisation days.
“The nationwide rollout marks a decisive move in India’s public health journey and fulfils the government’s commitment to advancing the vision of ‘Swastha Nari’, ensuring prevention, protection and equity at the core of women’s healthcare,” the ministry stated.
Each session will be supervised by trained medical officers, supported by skilled healthcare teams. All sites will have functional cold chain points (CCPs) and will be linked to 24×7 government health facilities to ensure immediate medical support and management of any rare adverse events following immunisation (AEFI).
Single-shot Gardasil 4, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine that provides protection against HPV types 16 and 18 which cause cervical cancer as well as types 6 and 11, will be administered during the campaign.
Cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women in India, with over 1.2 lakh new cases and nearly 80,000 deaths annually as per the GLOBOCAN — an online database of cancer cases — data of 2022.
Scientific evidence establishes that almost all cases are caused by persistent infection with high-risk types of HPV, particularly types 16 and 18, which account for more than 80 per cent of cervical cancer cases in India, the ministry said in its statement.
“Despite being largely preventable through vaccination and early screening, cervical cancer continues to impose a heavy burden on families and the healthcare system. The nationwide HPV vaccination programme directly addresses this challenge by preventing HPV infection before it can progress to cancer,” it said.
The HPV vaccines are among the most extensively studied vaccines globally with more than 500 million doses administered worldwide since 2006.
Scientific evidence demonstrates 93-100 per cent effectiveness in preventing cervical cancer caused by vaccine-covered HPV types, the statement said.
In June 2022, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization of the World Health Organization concluded that a single-dose schedule provides protection comparable to two-dose schedules.
The December 2022 WHO position paper further endorsed single-dose schedules as an effective and programmatically advantageous option for girls aged 9-20 years.
India’s approach aligns with these global recommendations and the expert guidance of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), the statement said.
With this launch, India will join over 160 countries that have introduced HPV vaccination into their immunisation schedules, it stated. More than 90 countries are implementing single-dose HPV vaccination schedules, improving coverage, affordability, and programme efficiency.
Several countries have already reported substantial reductions in HPV infection rates, precancerous lesions, and cervical cancer incidence following widespread vaccination.
To ensure uninterrupted supply and uncompromised quality, the government of India has secured HPV vaccine supplies through a transparent and globally supported procurement mechanism in partnership with GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. The vaccines used in the national programme are approved by India’s drug regulator and meet stringent quality and cold-chain standards.
Adequate vaccine doses, commensurate with the target cohort of each states, have already been supplied and states and Union territories have been trained for seamless rollout and last-mile distribution.
During the launch event in Ajmer, all states and Union territories will join virtually in coordination with their respective NIC units. Following the national launch, states and Union territories will proceed with their own HPV vaccination launch events on the same day.
“The Union Health Ministry urges parents and guardians to ensure that their 14-year-old daughters receive the HPV vaccine once the programme is rolled out,” the statement added.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) congratulated PM Modi for the launch of the nationwide HPV vaccination drive.
The IMA, in collaboration with Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), has already trained more than 30,000 doctors for counselling and HPV vaccination initiatives across India, the medical association said.
“With more than 1,800 local branches nationwide, IMA stands fully committed to supporting this noble National mission. We humbly request that trained IMA members be permitted to assist the government in this pan-India HPV vaccination drive,” it said.
