India's Leap Towards Cervical Cancer Elimination with Nationwide HPV Vaccination

India launches a nationwide HPV vaccination campaign on February 28, aiming to combat cervical cancer in girls aged 14. The initiative supports WHO's goals for cancer elimination, leveraging Gardasil 4 vaccine's proven efficacy. Efforts focus on dispelling misinformation and increasing vaccine uptake to achieve national health targets by 2030.

In a decisive public health initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially launch India's nationwide HPV vaccination campaign on February 28 in Ajmer, Rajasthan. The campaign targets girls aged 14, with the goal of reducing cervical cancer rates, a leading cause of death among Indian women.

The program aligns with WHO's cervical cancer elimination strategy, utilizing the Gardasil 4 vaccine known for its proven efficacy against HPV types causing the majority of cancers. A single dose of the vaccine offers substantial protection, a fact underscored by experts who cite the successful outcomes of Indian cohort studies.

Health professionals emphasize the importance of overcoming misinformation to improve vaccine coverage. They highlight the campaign's potential to dramatically decrease cancer rates, aiming for India's repositioning as a leader in cervical cancer prevention. Efforts also support the WHO's 90-70-90 targets, striving for global eradication of the disease by 2030.

(With inputs from agencies.)