Delhi, 1 February: The government’s new initiative to encourage vaccination of girls in the age group of 9-14 years to prevent cervical cancer has been announced by union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the presentation of the union interim Budget 2024-2025 in Parliament.
The decision was based on the recent evidence on the high burden of cervical cancer in India and the effectiveness of a single dose of HPV vaccine.
As per the recommendation of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization, the vaccine will be introduced as a one-time catch-up for adolescent girls followed by routine introduction at nine years.
This step is essential as India accounts for a quarter of all cervical cancer incidences and nearly a third of global cervical cancer deaths, despite having only 16 percent of the world’s women.
Officials have stated that Indian women face a lifetime risk of 1.6 percent and a cumulative death risk of one percent from cervical cancer. This new initiative aims to reduce these numbers and prevent approximately 80,000 women from developing cervical cancer and 35,000 deaths every year in India.
Currently, there are two HPV vaccines available in India, CERVAVAC and Gardasil 4, with prices ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,927 per dose. The government is taking this crucial step towards protecting the health and well-being of girls and women in the country.
