Update on National HPV Vaccination Programme

Update on National HPV Vaccination Programme

The Nationwide free HPV vaccination campaign was launched on 28th February 2026, targeting approximately 1.2 crore eligible beneficiary girls aged 14 years across all 36 States and Union Territories. The single-dose Gardasil-4 vaccine is administered free of cost at government health facilities, including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs- Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), Sub-District Hospitals (SDH)/District Hospitals (DHs) & Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) across all areas including rural and underserved area.  After the campaign duration of three-months, the vaccine will continue to be available on routine immunization days.

The vaccines are being administered in the presence of medical officers and the vaccination sites are linked to 24×7 Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Management Centers for prompt management of adverse events, if any. HPV vaccination is voluntary and parental consent is mandatory before administration of vaccine. The operational guidelines for the roll out of HPV vaccination campaign have been disseminated to all States/UTs. 

The Government of India has implemented comprehensive prevention strategies against cervical cancer, encompassing a multi-faceted approach that includes screening, early diagnosis, and timely treatment, aiming to reduce the burden of this disease among women in the country. Complementing these initiatives, HPV vaccination, based on global evidence, has been envisaged to play a significant role in reducing cervical cancer incidence in India.

Details of efficacy of approved HPV vaccines are published in Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) which are publicly available on CDSCO website.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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