Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Programme in Ajmer, Rajasthan, marking a major public health initiative aimed at preventing cervical cancer through large-scale immunisation. The programme seeks to strengthen preventive healthcare by targeting adolescent girls before exposure to the virus responsible for most cervical cancer cases.
Under the scheme, approximately 1.15 crore girls aged 14 years will be vaccinated every year across all States and Union Territories. The HPV vaccine will be provided free of cost at designated government health facilities, including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (primary health centres), community health centres, sub-district and district hospitals, and government medical colleges. Vaccination sessions will be supervised by trained medical officers and healthcare teams, with cold-chain infrastructure in place to maintain vaccine safety. The programme is also linked to 247 government health facilities to ensure immediate medical care in the rare event of adverse reactions following immunisation.
The initiative comes amid continued concern over cervical cancer in India, which remains the country’s second most common cancer among women. According to GLOBOCAN 2022 data, more than 1.2 lakh new cases and over 80,000 deaths are recorded annually. Medical research shows that nearly all cervical cancer cases are caused by persistent infection with high-risk strains of Human Papillomavirus, particularly HPV types 16 and 18, which together account for more than 80 percent of cases in India.
Addressing a public gathering after the launch, the Prime Minister said the programme reflects the government’s focus on comprehensive development and preventive healthcare, alongside other development projects inaugurated during the visit. The nationwide rollout is expected to significantly reduce future cervical cancer burden by immunising girls before the age at which HPV exposure typically begins.
