India Crosses 80 Lakh HPV Vaccine Doses in Major Cervical Cancer Prevention Push

New Delhi, September 11, 2026: India has administered more than 80 lakh doses of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine since the launch of its nationwide vaccination campaign in February 2026, marking a major step in the country’s efforts to prevent cervical cancer.

The national programme provides free and voluntary single-dose HPV vaccination to 14-year-old girls at government health facilities, subject to parental consent. The initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February this year.

According to estimates cited by the government from the Registrar General of India, around 1.2 crore girls form the annual cohort of 14-year-olds eligible to benefit from the programme.

States have recorded substantial progress in reaching their identified target groups. Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram have reported 100% coverage of their respective identified cohorts.

Meanwhile, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Assam have crossed 90% coverage, while Karnataka has exceeded 85%.

Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, Kerala, Telangana and Odisha have also crossed the 60% mark.

Uttar Pradesh has administered the highest number of doses, with more than 22 lakh adolescent girls vaccinated under the national campaign.

The government has relied on district-level health teams and community mobilisation to reach eligible girls in rural, urban and geographically difficult areas.

Parents, teachers, healthcare professionals and frontline workers have been involved in awareness efforts aimed at addressing concerns and misinformation surrounding HPV vaccination.

Paediatricians, gynaecologists, AIIMS experts, ASHAs and ANMs have contributed to information and mobilisation activities across different States and districts.

The campaign is also using India’s digital health infrastructure through the U-WIN platform.

The system enables programme managers to monitor vaccination progress at the district level, identify gaps and missed beneficiaries, and improve planning and deployment of resources.

The vaccination programme has established medical safeguards for beneficiaries. All sessions are conducted under the supervision of trained Medical Officers at government health facilities.

Facilities are connected with 24×7 healthcare arrangements to assess and manage rare Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI), allowing any reported vaccination-related reaction to receive timely medical attention.

The national campaign also draws on extensive international experience with HPV vaccines. More than 800 million HPV vaccine doses have been distributed globally, according to the government.

HPV vaccination has expanded beyond high-income countries and is now included in national immunisation programmes across countries at different income levels. The government said 87% of upper-middle-income countries, 78% of lower-middle-income countries and 54% of low-income countries have adopted HPV vaccination in their national programmes.

With the campaign moving towards its final phase, the Health Ministry is focusing on reaching beneficiaries who are yet to receive the vaccine.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is continuing coordination with States, Union Territories, healthcare professionals, frontline workers and communities to improve awareness and access.

Crossing the 80 lakh-dose milestone represents a significant expansion of HPV vaccination through India’s public health system and strengthens the country’s long-term preventive approach to cervical cancer.