cervical cancer: Govt says yet to take decision on roll-out of HPV vaccination against cervical cancer

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday said it is yet to take a decision on the roll-out of HPV vaccination against cervical cancer in the country. Dismissing media reports on the vaccination campaign, the ministry said it is closely monitoring cervical cancer cases in the country and is in regular touch with states and various health departments.

It said media reports speculating that the government will launch a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign in the second quarter of 2024 to target girls in the 9-14 age group are “not true”.

In June 2022, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) recommended the introduction of HPV vaccine in the universal immunization programme with “a one-time catch-up” for adolescent girls in the 9-14 age group followed with routine introduction at nine years, the government told the Rajya Sabha in March.

The NTAGI recommendation was based on fresh evidence on disease burden, evidence on effectiveness of single dose of HPV vaccine, clinical trial data and experience of the Government of Sikkim on the introduction of the vaccine, it stated.