HPV vaccine can prevent cervical cancer: India begins nationwide vaccination
Cervical cancer is a huge health concern for Indian women, causing over 127,000 new cases and 80,000 deaths every year, mostly due to certain types of HPV.
The good news? Gardasil-4, an HPV vaccine, can prevent most of these cases.
What is Gardasil-4 and how effective is it?
Gardasil-4 protects against the main HPV types that cause cervical cancer and some that cause genital warts.
Evidence supporting a single-dose schedule focuses on younger adolescents (commonly nine-14 years) and shows very high effectiveness of the vaccine when given before exposure to HPV.
More than 500 million doses of HPV vaccine have been administered worldwide with only mild side effects like soreness.
India begins free nationwide vaccination
Launched on February 28, 2026, India began a free nationwide program to vaccinate around 11.5 million girls aged 14 via school-based sessions, with registration and tracking supported through the U-WIN platform, with support from GAVI.
This move follows WHO's goal to eliminate cervical cancer by getting most girls vaccinated early and making screening more common.
A future without cervical cancer
Getting vaccinated could mean a future where cervical cancer is rare, even preventable, for your generation.
With over 160 countries on board and strong safety data, this is a big step toward protecting women's health in India and beyond.