Pathway for India to Beat Cervical Cancer: Vaccination and Screening
UPSC / SSC current affairs note
Why in news
India has begun national HPV vaccination for girls aged 14, aiming to reduce cervical cancer burden. Recent studies from England and Australia show that HPV vaccination can virtually eliminate cervical cancer in vaccinated cohorts. India, with nearly one-fourth of global cervical cancer deaths, needs to scale up vaccination and screening.
Background
Cervical cancer is caused by persistent HPV infection, primarily strains 16 and 18. It is the second most common cancer among Indian women. The WHO has adopted a strategy for global elimination. India started national HPV vaccination in 2026 using a single dose of Gardasil-4 for girls aged 14.
Key facts
No woman aged 20–24 died from cervical cancer in England over a five-year period due to HPV vaccination introduced nearly two decades earlier.
A Lancet study linking HPV vaccination records (2008–18) with mortality data (through 2024) found no cervical cancer deaths among first vaccinated cohorts in England.
In Scotland, no invasive cervical cancer cases were detected in women vaccinated at ages 12–13 after up to 16 years of follow-up.
Australia introduced HPV vaccination in 2007, achieved >80% coverage, and replaced Pap smears with primary HPV testing in 2017; cervical cancer incidence fell to 6.3 per 100,000 women by 2021.
Australia is projected to eliminate cervical cancer (incidence <4 per 100,000) around 2035.
Nearly one in four global cervical cancer deaths (about 349,000 in 2022) occur in India.
HPV-16 and HPV-18 cause about 70% of cervical cancers.
India began national HPV vaccination in 2026 using a single dose of Gardasil-4 for roughly 1.15 crore girls aged 14 annually, free at government health facilities.
Screening coverage in India is low; only 1.9% of women aged 30–49 were screened in the past five years (NFHS-5).
India has a target to screen 70% of women aged 30–49 by 2030, but current screening rates are far below.
Prelims pointers
- HPV: Human Papillomavirus, strains 16 and 18 cause ~70% cervical cancers
- Gardasil-4: Quadrivalent HPV vaccine used in India's national program
- WHO strategy: Global elimination of cervical cancer (incidence <4 per 100,000)
- NFHS-5: National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) data on screening
- Target: Screen 70% of women aged 30-49 by 2030 (India's goal)
- Vaccination target: Girls aged 14 years, single dose
- Cervical cancer: Second most common cancer among Indian women
- Pap smear vs HPV testing: HPV testing is more sensitive
- Lancet study: 2024 study linking HPV vaccination to zero deaths in young women in England
- Australia: Projected to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035
Mains angles
- GS2: Government policies and interventions for health sector; issues of women's health
- GS3: Science and technology in health; vaccination and disease prevention
- GS2: Role of awareness campaigns in addressing misconceptions about HPV vaccine
- GS3: Public health challenges in India; cancer burden and screening programs
- GS2: Comparison with global best practices (UK, Australia) for elimination of cervical cancer