The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has decided to roll out a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign on February 28, which will be marked from Ajmer, Rajasthan. According to an official letter dated February 25, the health ministry has sent out a letter to all the states to make necessary arrangements for the vaccination programme.
"Cervical cancer is a significant public health concern in our country as well as globally. It is caused by HPV, and it is the only cancer which can be prevented by a vaccine. We are committed to encouraging vaccination for girls for the prevention of cervical cancer. Accordingly, the launch of the HPV Vaccination Campaign for all girls aged 14 years has been planned tentatively at 11:30 am on 28 February 2026. The Honourable Prime Minister has kindly consented to launch the campaign from Almer, Rajasthan," the letter noted.
The health ministry has stated that during the launch, all States/UTs will connect to the event virtually through a link in coordination with their local NIC, with the presence of Chief Ministers, Administrators and state health ministers, along with health officials from their respective state/ UT headquarters.
The Government has decided to vaccinate all the girls aged 14 years across the country with a single dose of the Gardasil 4 vaccine at the Government-run health facilities, such as Ayushman Arogya Mandir primary health centres, community health centres, sub district/district hospitals and Government medical colleges and hospitals.
Gardasil 4 is a quadrivalent vaccine that protects against cancers and precancerous lesions caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18. It specifically helps prevent cervical, vulvar, vaginal, and anal cancers, as well as genital warts. It is designed for both males and females, primarily targeting HPV types 16 and 18, which cause most HPV-related cancers.
The centre has also instructed that obtaining consent from the parent/guardian is mandatory before vaccination of girls and that the vaccination may be done over a three-month duration during which the HPV vaccine will be available every day to ensure maximum eligible girls are vaccinated. Thereafter, the vaccine will be available at the same health facility on routine immunisation days.
"The concerned officials of all the States/UTs have already been trained by MoHFW on HPV vaccination. The required number of HPV vaccine doses that are commensurate with the target cohort of the respective State/UT have already been supplied," the letter read.
Experts Welcome Decision
Medical experts welcomed the move to provide cervical cancer vaccination. India accounts for one-third of the world's cervical cancer burden, and this figure can be cut down to a large extent if girls are vaccinated at the right age. The World Health Organisation (WHO) finds that cervical cancer is one such cancer which can be prevented by 80-90% with vaccination. And in India, there are approximately 1.5 crore girls aged 14 years old.
"Not only in Delhi, but across the nation, this step will be a game changer for cervical cancer. And just to say, only for cervical cancer would be wrong, but the vaccination will also provide protection from vulvar, vaginal, anal, oropharyngeal and penile cancers. We have done it for COVID vaccination drive. We can do it for this, too. I am taking this initiative to do it for Delhi and am sure the Government will support and encourage me in doing so," said Dr Pragya Shukla, HOD (Clinical and Preventive Oncology), Delhi State Cancer Institute.
India has already been importing the HPV vaccine, mostly produced by US-based Merck & Co. Merck’s Gardasil vaccine has two variants: quadrivalent vaccine known as quadra 4, and nonavalent 9, which is the latest vaccine. Gardasil 4 costs around Rs 3,957 per dose, while the per-dose cost of Gardasil 9 is around Rs 11,000. The complete schedule has three doses taken at zero, 2, and 6 months.
"Until now, HPV vaccination in India has largely been driven by the private sector, which meant uptake was limited due to high costs and low public awareness. Conversations around the vaccine were mostly confined to gynaecologists and doctors in urban centres. States like Sikkim demonstrated how strong promotion and organised delivery can achieve good coverage, but at a national level, awareness remained inadequate," said Dr Amit Upadhyay, Senior Consultant Haematologist and Oncologist, PSRI Hospital.
As per ICMR, with 123,000-127,500 new cases and 75,000-80,000 fatalities each year, cervical cancer is the second most frequent malignancy among Indian women. The 5-year survival rate is approximately 48.7%, and 60–70% of cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, accounting for nearly 10% of all cancer-related fatalities in the nation.
"The current move is therefore a very welcome step. If adolescent girls are vaccinated at scale, we can expect a significant decline in cervical cancer rates in the coming years. However, certain social and logistical challenges will need to be addressed. Since the vaccine is administered to girls around 9-14 years of age, myths, cultural hesitations and lack of information, particularly in rural areas, may affect acceptance. Alongside awareness, robust last-mile delivery and counselling will be critical for the programme’s success,” Dr Amit noted.
According to last year's ICMR study, the Southeast Asia Region ranks second, contributing 29.59% of global cervical cancer cases and 34.12% of deaths, with India alone reporting 127,526 new cases and 79,906 deaths in 2022.
Persistent high cervical cancer death rates in India after 2016 suggest that VIA-based screening alone is insufficient. Almost 60-70 % of cases are detected at advanced stages because many Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) screen-positive women do not undergo colposcopy for confirmation or receive timely treatment due to a variety of barriers.
In states like Delhi and Punjab, the Government had initially announced free HPV vaccine to adolescent girls. The vaccination programme was made available in the State-run Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI). However, the programme was discontinued owing to high cost.
"Delhi State Cancer Institute has launched the first free HPV vaccination drive in the nation. However, unfortunately, there were issues due to the pandemic. Earlier this month, on World Cancer Day, we launched our initiative by the name of CAPS for Cancer Awareness Prevention and Screening. We shall be providing community-based screening for breast and cervical cancers, along with addressing myths related to cancer. This initiative also aims to incorporate free HPV vaccination based on the availability of resources, which we are very optimistic about," Dr Pragya added.
Gardasil 9 is an imported vaccine that protects against nine strains; the initial manufacture and distribution expenses are greater. Logistics and overhead often result in slightly higher prices in cities such as Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai. Cold chain management is also very important. HPV vaccinations must be stored at precise temperatures from the producer to the clinic to your arm. That level of regulated transportation necessitates specialised equipment and qualified personnel.
Recombinant 9-valent HPV vaccine prepared from the purified virus-like particles of the major capsid (L1) protein of HPV Types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58.
Apart from Gardasil, Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) had in 2022 announced manufacturing the first indigenous vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer. Cervavac was launched in January 2023 for commercial use and is available in private hospitals at Rs 2,000 for two doses. It protects against HPV types 16 and 18, which are responsible for most cervical cancer cases. Gardasil 9, meanwhile, covers nine strains, making it broader but also more expensive.
"Gardasil has been available in India through private channels, but its reach was limited due to cost and accessibility. We have been spearheading vaccination campaigns in India for the past six years, reaching less than 1% of girls aged 9-14. While indigenous vaccines are available at a lower cost, their usage was halted after the Supreme Court raised concerns about insufficient supporting studies," said Dr Rita Kalra, Rotary District 3080 Coordinator for HPV Vaccination.
Dr Kalra added, "Awareness remains modest. Many parents hesitate because the vaccine requires consent and is voluntary. Acceptance will only grow through health education and community mobilisation. We have consistently worked to spread awareness through advocacy, seminars, and school-based campaigns, and will continue to play this role to ensure the programme’s success."
(Ghosh is an independent journalist with a focus on health, climate change, environment and human interest stories. She is also a research contributor for Media Mavericks)
