Parliament Question: National HPV Vaccination Programme in the country

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE RAJYASABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2850 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17thMARCH 2026 NATIONALHPVVACCINATION PROGRAMME IN THE COUNTRY

2850.DR. PARMARJASHVANTSINHSALAMSINH :

SHRI NARHARIAMIN :

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleasedtostate:

(a) whether Government has launched a nationwide National HPV (Human Papillomavirus) VaccinationProgramme across all StatesandUnion Territories, if so, the detailsthereof;

(b) the objectives, scope and implementation framework of the programme, including the targeted age group, coverage strategy and measures taken to ensure equitable access, particularly in rural and underserved areas;

(c) whether the programme forms part of Government’s strategy for elimination of cervical cancer in the country; and

(d) the scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine in preventing cervical cancerandotherHPV-related diseases, including the percentageefficacy reportedinclinicalstudies? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE INTHE MINISTRYOFHEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFARE (SMT.ANUPRIYAPATEL)

(a) & (b) 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 Centers (CHCs), Sub-District Hospitals (SDH)/District Hospitals (DHs) & Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) ) across all areasincluding rural and underserved area. After the campaign durationof three-months, the vaccine will continue tobe availableonroutine immunizationdays.

The vaccines are being administered in the presence of medical officers and the vaccination sites are linked to 24x7 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 vaccinationcampaign have beendisseminated toall States/UTs.

(c) 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 inreducingcervical cancerincidenceinIndia.

(d) Details of efficacy of approved HPV vaccines are published in Summary of Product Characteristics(SmPC) which are publiclyavailableonCDSCO website. *****