India's HPV Vaccination Drive: Boosting Frontline Capacity to Combat Cervical Cancer

The Union Health Ministry plans capacity-building for workers administering the HPV vaccine to girls aged 9-14, aiming to reduce cervical cancer. Recent meetings have shaped strategies, following NTAGI's 2022 endorsement. Vaccines from MSD Pharmaceuticals and Serum Institute protect against multiple HPV sub-types, with efforts to ramp up vaccination coverage.

The Union Health Ministry is set to enhance its efforts in administering the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, focusing on building the capacity of frontline workers. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to protect young Indian girls from cervical cancer, a leading health threat.

In her interim budget speech, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized the government's commitment to vaccinate girls aged 9-14. The Ministry has been actively collaborating with health officials to devise a detailed plan for rolling out educational and training activities for health workers involved in the vaccination drive.

Currently, prominent vaccines such as Gardasil 4 from MSD Pharmaceuticals and Cervavac from the Serum Institute of India are available. These vaccines cover multiple HPV sub-types, contributing to significant cervical cancer prevention among the population, particularly in a country where cervical cancer accounts for a substantial portion of global cases and fatalities.

(With inputs from agencies.)