Over 52 Lakh Girls Got Vaccinated So Far

Under 5 months India’s free HPV vaccination program crosses 43% reaching over 52 lakh girls out of 1.2 crore.

India’s nationwide free HPV vaccination programme has crossed a major milestone, vaccinating over 52 lakh girls for cervical cancer prevention.

As of 15 July 2026, 52,10,302 girls had received the HPV vaccine, covering 43% of the 1.2 crore target, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Smt. Anupriya Patel informed the Rajya Sabha this week.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched a free nationwide campaign on 28 February 2026 with the aim to cover approximately 1.2 crore eligible girls aged 14 across all 36 States and Union Territories.

How Far Has India’s HPV Vaccination Drive Come?

In less than five months, the nationwide HPV vaccination programme has reached around 43% of its target population. While over 52 lakh girls have already been vaccinated, many more eligible girls are yet to receive the vaccine.

Following the completion of the campaign’s initial 90-day phase, the HPV vaccine is now available through the routine immunization programme at government healthcare facilities.

The HPV Vaccine Is Available Free at These Government Facilities

• Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Primary Health Centres)
• Community Health Centres
• Sub-District and District Hospitals
• Government Medical Colleges

What Parents Should Know About India’s HPV Vaccination

• Girls aged 14 can get free vaccination under this campaign
• Vaccination is voluntary and parental consent is mandatory

The Health Ministry’s national vaccination platform is digitally tracking the coverage data of the campaign through U-WIN portal.

To support this drive, vigorous training for medical and paramedical staff has been completed across all 36 States and Union Territories.

Awareness initiatives using radio jingles, posters, and myth-busting social media content were introduced with the goal of decreasing vaccine hesitancy in rural, tribal, and urban slum communities.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Indian women.

• According to ICMR’s National Cancer Registry Programme, cervical cancer cases have declined by 37% over the past decade.
• Annual cases have dropped from 1.27 lakh to around 79,000.
• Despite this progress, cervical cancer still claims nearly 80,000 lives each year.
• HPV vaccination and early detection are key to further reducing cases and improving survival rates.

The vaccine used in the programme is Gardasil-4, a single-dose quadrivalent HPV vaccine. It protects against four HPV types, including HPV 16 and HPV 18, the two high-risk strains responsible for more than 80% of cervical cancer cases in India. With India accounting for nearly one-quarter of the world’s cervical cancer deaths, widespread HPV vaccination can play a crucial role in reducing the disease burden.

India’s cervical cancer strategy extends beyond vaccination, integrating screening, early diagnosis, and treatment to improve outcomes. Continued public awareness, higher vaccine uptake, and focused outreach in underserved regions will be key to sustaining progress against this preventable disease.

References:

1. Update on HPV Vaccination Programme and Cervical Cancer Prevention – (https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2286947®=3&lang=1)
2. Cervical Cancer – (https://cancerindia.org.in/cervical-cancer/)
3. Cervical cancer burden in India: A descriptive epidemiological study and policy insights – (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12702179/)

Source-Medindia