HPV vaccination for girls starts today: What to know
On Saturday, PM Modi is scheduled to kick off a nationwide HPV vaccination campaign from Ajmer, aiming to give free shots to a cohort of 1.15 crore 14-year-old girls.
It's a big move against cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer for women in India and claims around 80,000 lives annually.
How will the campaign work?
The campaign uses the Gardasil vaccine, which protects against four HPV types (6, 11, 16 and 18); of these, types 16 and 18 are high-risk types linked to cervical cancer, while 6 and 11 are associated with genital warts.
Girls will get a single dose at local health centers or hospitals.
It's voluntary—parents' or guardians' informed consent will be obtained prior to administration, and they can register or book time slots via the U-WIN platform or directly visit health centers.
India joins over 160 countries
For the first three months, things will run in "mission mode" with trained officers and round-the-clock support for any side effects.
India joins over 160 countries already doing this, and globally, HPV vaccines have shown up to 100% effectiveness against covered strains—with more than half a billion doses given since 2006.
This could be a game-changer for women's health in India.