Don’t delay campaign against cervical cancer

About two weeks ago, it was reported that the government planned to launch a nationwide free vaccination drive against cervical cancer among women. The plan, according to reports, was to implement it as part of the universal immunisation programme to cover all girls in the 9-15 age group. But the government has now denied the reports and said that no such decision has been taken. This is unfortunate because vaccination against cervical cancer is a much needed public health programme. It is the second most common cause of cancer deaths among Indian women, after breast cancer. India accounts for about a fifth of the global burden of the disease. It is estimated that around 453 million Indian women above the age of 15 are at risk of developing cancer. The threat is aggravated by the fact that diagnosis and treatment are not accessible to many in the country.

The vaccine, called Cervavac, is indigenously developed by the Serum Institute of India (SII), and has been in the market for about a year. It has been found effective against human papillomavirus (HPV), which is responsible for most cases of cervical cancer. It was approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in 2022. Most women are not vaccinated against the disease and are not aware of the existence of vaccines and screenings, though screening is a simple process. The high cost of the vaccines marketed by a foreign company has prevented many from going in for inoculation. The National Technical Advisory Group for Immunisation had recommended inclusion of the HPV vaccine in the universal immunisation programme in 2018, but the high cost of the vaccine had perhaps dissuaded the government from implementing it. The government’s attention also turned to vaccination against Covid later. Now that the pandemic is practically behind us, and a cheaper vaccine is available, the vaccination against cervical cancer needs to be implemented. 

India has a robust vaccination system and it is possible to extend it to cervical cancer without much additional effort. It has been suggested that most of the vaccinations can be done in schools as the majority of the targeted demographic of girls would be in schools. The vaccines are given in two doses, but latest research, based on studies held in hospitals across the country, suggests that a single dose can produce enough immunity to prevent the disease. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended that all adolescent girls be given one or two HPV doses. Over 100 countries have implemented the vaccination programme. India should undertake the programme; it is especially important as it is targeted at women.