Cervical cancer, the second most common type of cancer diagnosed in women in India, received a push in the Budget 2024.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 1 February announced the vaccination for girls against cervical cancer "Our government will encourage vaccination for girls in the age group of 9 to 14 years for the prevention of cervical cancer," the Finance Minister said in her Budget speech.

With the government stating its intention to incorporate the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) into the nation's immunization program, vaccines to prevent cervical cancer are probably going to become more affordable. At nine years old, the vaccination would then become a regular component of a girl's immunisation schedule.

The campaign would use the indigenously developed vaccine, marketed by Serum Institute of India, called Cervavac. Currently, the vaccine is available only in private hospitals and costs up to ₹4,000 per dose.

Where and to whom will the immunizations be given?

All girls between the ages of 9 and 14 years will receive the vaccines in their schools or nearby government primary health centres over the next three years. The Health Ministry, Women and Child Development Ministry and the Education ministry will help in rolling out the campaign.

In what ways is the government getting ready to provide the vaccine?

While the government is still working on procurement of vaccines, other preparations are already under way. Officials from various states confirmed that workshops on administering HPV vaccine were conducted in 2023. Officials from all three coordinating ministries will be trained to ensure effective availability of vaccines at centres.

There is also preparation on communication before the vaccine is rolled out to ensure there is no hesitancy. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) had also recommended that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) conduct trials on the efficacy of a single-dose regimen of HPV vaccine in the age group of 9-15 years.