Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 27: Emphasizing the urgent need to tackle cervical cancer, Neerja Bhatla, Professor Emeritus at the National Cancer Institute, Jhajjar, has highlighted the importance of HPV vaccination as a game changer in prevention.
The former Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi, Dr Bhatla said the nationwide rollout of the HPV vaccination campaign aligns with the World Health Organization strategy to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030.
“India continues to face a high burden, with nearly one lakh new cases and around fifty thousand deaths reported every year, making it one of the leading cancers affecting women,” .
She noted that cervical cancer develops over a long period, allowing opportunities for prevention through screening and early detection, but low coverage and lack of infrastructure have limited its success in India.
She stressed that HPV vaccination offers a major breakthrough by protecting against the most high-risk virus strains responsible for the majority of cases.
Dr Bhatla said the vaccine has been proven safe, with only mild and temporary side effects, and does not affect fertility or overall health.
Referring to the National HPV Vaccination Campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 28, 2026, she described it as a decisive step towards safeguarding women’s health.
She stated that the programme provides free vaccination to girls up to 14 years of age at Government health facilities.
She urged parents to ensure their daughters receive the vaccine, stating that high coverage, along with improved screening and treatment, can significantly reduce cervical cancer cases and move India closer to elimination of the disease.
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