Rollout of free HPV vaccine drive for 14-yr-old girls to check cervical cancer

IN a significant step towards eliminating preventable cancers among women, the Centre will soon launch a nationwide human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme targeting girls aged 14 years, official sources said on Tuesday.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @New Delhi

According to sources, the programme will use a single-shot Gardasil, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine that provides protection against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause cervical cancer, as well as types 6 and 11. The drive would be a special vaccination campaign and not under the government’s Universal Immunisation Programme. It is in line with the World Health Organisation recommendations, which identify HPV vaccination as a central pillar of the Global Strategy to Eliminate Cervical Cancer.

“Strong global and Indian scientific evidence confirms that a single dose provides robust and durable protection when administered to girls in the recommended age group,” an official source said.