Key Highlights:
- 80 lakh vaccinations administered: The Union Ministry of Health announced India has crossed 80 lakh HPV vaccinations, calling it a key milestone in preventive healthcare.
- Campaign launched in February: PM Modi launched the nationwide HPV vaccination drive for girls aged 14 and above from Ajmer, Rajasthan.
- Goal: Eliminate cervical cancer: The initiative aims to protect millions of girls from developing HPV-associated cancers in the future.
- Expert backing: Oncologist Dattatreyudu Nori said the vaccination drive gives India a "decisive advantage" in eliminating cervical cancer within years.
- 200 deaths daily cited: Nori noted that around 200 women die of cervical cancer in India every day, calling the disease preventable, detectable and curable.
- Broader healthcare progress noted: Nori also credited the establishment of the National Cancer Institute and expanded cancer treatment facilities over the past 12 years.
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Health on Friday announced that India has crossed 80 lakh Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations, marking an "important milestone" against HPV infection and HPV-associated cancers.
In a post on X, the Health Ministry said: "India has crossed 80 lakh HPV vaccinations, marking another important milestone in strengthening preventive healthcare and advancing protection against HPV infection and HPV-associated cancers."
"With every vaccination, India takes another step towards a healthier, cancer-free future for its daughters," it added.
About The Nationwide Campaign
The nationwide HPV vaccination campaign for girls aged 14 years and above was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Rajasthan's Ajmer in February.
What Is HPV And Why This Vaccine Matters: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that, in persistent infections, is the primary cause of cervical cancer — one of the most common cancers among women in India. The HPV vaccine works by protecting against the virus strains most responsible for triggering these cancers, making early vaccination, before likely exposure to the virus, a key preventive tool rather than a treatment.
The initiative aims to eradicate cervical cancer among women in India.
By expanding access to the HPV vaccine, the programme is expected to protect millions of girls across the country from developing life-threatening cancers in the future.
Expert View: "We'll Be Able To Eliminate Cancer Of The Cervix"
Earlier this year, Indian-American radiation oncologist Dattatreyudu Nori said HPV vaccination could give India a decisive advantage in its fight against cervical cancer and help eliminate the disease in the coming years.
"Now, with the HPV vaccination, we have an upper hand, and in few years, we'll be able to eliminate cancer of the cervix from India," Nori said in an interview with IANS.
The 2026 Padma Bhushan awardee described cervical cancer as preventable, detectable and curable, making the continued loss of lives particularly distressing for doctors working in oncology.
"Cancer of the cervix is preventable, is detectable, is treatable and curable," he said.
Nori said about 200 women die of cervical cancer every day in India. He welcomed the introduction of free HPV vaccination for girls, saying it could substantially strengthen prevention efforts.
Broader Progress In India's Cancer Care
He also praised the changes he said had taken place in India's healthcare sector over the past 12 years, particularly in cancer prevention and treatment.
"A lot of significant positive changes have happened in healthcare," he said.
Nori also cited the establishment of the National Cancer Institute and the expansion of cancer treatment facilities among the important steps taken during this period.