India Launches Free HPV Vaccine Drive for Girls to Fight Cervical Cancer

India is launching a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme for adolescent girls aged 14, aiming to prevent cervical cancer.

The vaccine, Gardasil, will be provided free of cost at government health facilities, including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, community and district hospitals, and government medical colleges. This initiative is expected to cover approximately 1.15 crore girls annually and provide lifelong protection against cervical cancer.

The vaccination programme is voluntary and will be administered under medical supervision. A single dose of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine is expected to provide robust and durable protection against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause cervical cancer, as well as types 6 and 11.