PM launches nationwide HPV vaccination drive for girls aged 14 years from Ajmer

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In a significant step towards safeguarding the future health of India's daughters and strengthening preventive healthcare, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is launching the nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme for girls up to 14 years from Ajmer in Rajasthan.

This countrywide programme marks a significant step in India's public health journey. It furthers the vision of "Swasth Nari" of ensuring prevention, safety and equality at the core of women's health care It fulfills the government's promise.

The programme will target around 1.15 crore girls of 14 years of age in all states and union territories every year. The vaccine will be given free of cost at the designated government health centre.

Each session will be supervised by trained medical officers who will be supported by skilled health care teams. There will be functional cold chain points (CCPs) at all sites. They will be connected to the 24×7 Government Health Centre to provide immediate medical support and manage any Rare Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI).

Vaccination will be optional and informed consent will be taken from parents/guardians before taking the vaccine.

The Special Campaign will be conducted in mission mode over a period of three months. During this time, eligible girls can get vaccinated daily at designated places. Thereafter, the vaccine will continue to be available even on routine vaccination days.

According to GLOBOCAN 2022 data, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in India. It reports more than 1,20,000 new cases and about 80,000 deaths each year. Scientific evidence suggests that almost all cases are high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), especially types 16 and 18. They are responsible for more than 80% of cervical cancer cases in India.