New Delhi: India crossed a major HPV vaccination milestone after more than 80 lakh vaccine doses were given under the national campaign. The campaign began in February 2026 to help prevent cervical cancer among adolescent girls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National HPV Vaccination Campaign in February 2026. The programme offers free and voluntary single-dose HPV vaccination to 14-year-old girls.
The vaccination requires parental consent. Government health facilities are providing the vaccine through the public health system.
The campaign targets about 1.2 crore girls each year. The figure comes from 2021 estimates by the Registrar General of India.
States and Union Territories have expanded the programme across their identified target groups. Several States have already reported high or complete coverage.
Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram reached 100 per cent coverage of their identified target populations. Meanwhile, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Assam crossed 90 per cent coverage.
Karnataka recorded more than 85 per cent coverage. Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, Kerala, Telangana and Odisha crossed 60 per cent coverage.
Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of vaccinations among States. More than 22 lakh adolescent girls received the HPV vaccine there.
The HPV vaccination milestone reflected coordinated work by State and Union Territory health teams. It also showed the role of district-level mobilisation in reaching eligible girls.
Health teams used different approaches to reach girls in rural, urban and remote areas. They also adapted field efforts for locations with difficult geographic access.
Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat reached full coverage of their identified target groups. Community mobilisation and focused field work supported the progress in both States.
Assam and other Northeastern States also expanded access through coordinated community health networks. These efforts helped reach beneficiaries across geographically diverse areas.
The campaign also focused on public awareness and reliable information. Parents, teachers, healthcare providers and frontline workers took part in these efforts.
Healthcare professionals supported awareness activities across States and districts. Paediatricians, gynaecologists and experts from institutions such as AIIMS also contributed.
ASHA workers and ANMs helped engage communities and support vaccination efforts. Their field presence helped connect eligible girls with public health services.
How the HPV vaccination milestone was tracked
The government also used the U-WIN digital health platform to monitor campaign progress. The platform allowed programme managers to track coverage at the district level.
It also helped officials identify coverage gaps and missed beneficiaries. In turn, the data supported programme planning and resource allocation.
The campaign drew on global experience with HPV vaccination. More than 800 million HPV vaccine doses have been distributed worldwide.
HPV vaccination was first adopted mainly by high-income countries. However, national programmes have since expanded across countries at different income levels.
Currently, 87 per cent of upper-middle-income countries have included HPV vaccination in their national immunisation programmes. The figure stands at 78 per cent among lower-middle-income countries.
Among low-income countries, 54 per cent have adopted HPV vaccines in national immunisation programmes. The wider adoption has strengthened the role of HPV vaccination in cervical cancer prevention.
India’s campaign also includes safety measures at vaccination sites. Trained Medical Officers supervise all vaccination sessions at government health facilities.
Government facilities are linked with 24×7 healthcare services for managing rare Adverse Events Following Immunization. These services support assessment and treatment when a vaccination-related adverse event occurs.
The system provides a mechanism for timely monitoring and management of reported events. It also supports continued vaccination under medical supervision.
The campaign has now entered its final phase. Health authorities are focusing on reaching the remaining eligible beneficiaries.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare continues to coordinate with States and Union Territories. It is also working with healthcare professionals, frontline workers and local communities.
Officials are focusing on awareness, access and effective programme delivery. The effort aims to ensure that eligible girls are not missed during the campaign.
The 80 lakh dose mark represents a major HPV vaccination milestone for India’s preventive health programme. It also highlights the expanding reach of HPV vaccination through government health services.
The campaign is aimed at strengthening long-term protection against cervical cancer among future generations. Its progress has also brought HPV vaccination to millions of adolescent girls through a free public health programme.
