- By Kamal Kumar
- Fri, 12 Jan 2024 05:34 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India will soon launch a concerted vaccination campaign for girls aged 9 to 14 to end the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a leading cause of cervical cancer. The vaccination drive will take place in three phases which are slated to begin later this year.
According to an NDTV report, over 7 crore doses have been prepared for the first phase of the vaccination. The latest development comes almost a year after The Serum Institute of India (SII) in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology(DBT) launched India's first indigenously developed Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV) against Cervical Cancer on September 1, 2022.
Protection from multiple diseases
As per an Indian Express report, the vaccine will protect against multiple ailments along with cervical cancer. The new vaccine will be able to stop HPV strains that cause cancer of the anus, vagina and oropharynx. The vaccine will also protect against the HPV strain which causes genital warts.
What is HPV?
Human Papillomavirus is a pathogen which causes HPV infection, a viral condition, that frequently results in the formation of skin or mucous membrane growths known as 'warts.' With over 100 variants, human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for different warts diseases and cancers.
Why does India need an HPV vaccine?
India witnesses around one-fifth of total cervical cancer cases in the world. The country is also experiencing a concerning rise in cancer incidence. The number of cancer cases is expected to go up from 1.46 million in 2022 to 1.57 million in 2025, showing the need for a robust prevention process. The government is adding cervical cancer to its vaccination plan to make the vaccine available to everyone while planning to give the vaccine for free to include as many women as possible.
