India’s HPV vaccine rollout: from a welcome launch to an elimination strategy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56450/JEFI.2026.v4i01.001Keywords:
HPV vaccine, cancerAbstract
India’s recent nationwide rollout of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination marks an important moment in cancer prevention. The national campaign, launched in February 2026, offers a single dose of quadrivalent HPV vaccine to eligible 14-year-old girls free of cost through government health facilities, with plans to continue vaccine availability through routine immunisation sessions after the initial campaign phase (1,2).
Prophylactic HPV vaccines are most effective when administered before exposure to infection, making early adolescent vaccination central to prevention. In its 2022 position paper, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended a one- or two-dose schedule for girls aged 9–14 years, with HPV vaccination positioned as a foundational pillar of the global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem (3). Importantly, India has contributed directly to the evidence supporting a single-dose approach. A multicentre prospective cohort study from India reported that a single dose of quadrivalent HPV vaccine provided high protection against persistent HPV 16/18 infection at 10 years, with efficacy comparable to two- and three-dose schedules (4).
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1. Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Update on National HPV Vaccination Programme (Internet). New Delhi: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; 2026 Mar 17 (cited 2026 Mar 25). Available from: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2241079
2. Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launches nationwide HPV vaccination campaign (Internet). New Delhi: Government of India; 2026 Feb 28 (cited 2026 Mar 25). Available from: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2233906
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