Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 25: India has launched the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive for adolescent girls aged 9 to 13, marking a major step in the fight against cervical cancer, which accounts for nearly one-third of the global disease burden in the country.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide and spreads primarily through skin-to-skin contact. While it is the leading cause of cervical cancer in women, it is also linked to cancers of the throat, mouth, tongue, penis and anus in men.

Health experts note that in the United States alone, around 20,000 men are diagnosed with HPV-related cancers annually, with cases of HPV-linked throat cancer rising globally.

More than 50 countries — including the US, UK, Australia, Canada and Germany — have adopted gender-neutral vaccination strategies, immunising both boys and girls. Australia introduced gender-neutral HPV vaccination in 2013 and has since recorded a drop of over 90 per cent in infection rates.

Medical professionals emphasise that the vaccine is most effective when administered before exposure to the virus, ideally between the ages of 9 and 13.

Experts also caution that vaccinating only girls may limit the overall effectiveness of the programme, as unvaccinated boys can continue to remain part of the transmission chain.

The rollout is expected to significantly strengthen India’s efforts to reduce cervical cancer cases and move towards long-term disease elimination.