The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) commends the Government of India for the announcement of the nationwide rollout of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV). This marks a pivotal moment for India’s journey on preventive care and immunization. USISPF has been a long-time advocate for the integration of a life course approach to immunization across both policy discourse and in public health programs.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has underscored the monumental importance of HPV vaccines as vital to significantly reducing the risk of developing cervical cancer and a cost-effective public health measure.
India sadly records 25% of global cervical cancer deaths, at times the cause has been attributed to late diagnosis. Therefore, the implementation of this initiative will be critical as India strives towards enhancing the health and well-being of its people.
USISPF’s 2022 report on ‘Life Course Immunization: Pulse of a Resilient Health System’ (Please link to the report on USISPF website) provides a comprehensive set of recommendations for specific risk groups, one of them being vaccination for the prevention of cervical cancer. As India embarks on this journey towards HPV vaccination, our healthcare system will benefit from the expanding scope of the vaccine delivery ecosystem, increased awareness programs, and suitable incentivization policy to scale up adoption.