Centre To Launch Nationwide Free HPV Vaccination Drive For 14-Year-Old Girls

The Union government will soon launch a nationwide vaccination programme against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), targeting girls aged 14, official sources confirmed, in a major push to prevent cervical cancer.

Under the national immunisation framework, the quadrivalent Gardasil vaccine will be provided free of cost to ensure broad and equitable access.

The initiative aims to protect young girls from HPV infections that can later develop into cervical cancer, one of the most common cancers affecting women in India.

According to officials, the vaccine protects against HPV types 16 and 18, which account for the majority of cervical cancer cases, as well as types 6 and 11 that cause genital warts.

Health authorities have highlighted strong global and Indian scientific evidence showing that a single dose administered within the recommended age group offers robust and durable protection.

Experts say this single-dose approach will simplify implementation, expand coverage and strengthen compliance.

The vaccination will remain voluntary, but the government will remove financial barriers by offering it free of charge across socio-economic groups, thereby encouraging widespread participation.

Sources described the rollout as an example of delivery-oriented governance, where scientific research, policy clarity and implementation readiness converge to produce measurable public health impact.

The programme will significantly reduce the long-term burden of cervical cancer and advance broader women’s health goals.

Officials have urged parents and guardians to ensure their daughters receive the vaccine once the drive begins, emphasising that early immunisation builds immunity before potential exposure to the virus.

The HPV drive will further strengthen India’s expanding immunisation network and mark a landmark step in the country’s effort to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat.

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