The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved the inclusion of the cervical cancer vaccine in India’s Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel confirmed.
Responding in writing to questions raised by Villupuram VCK MP D. Ravikumar, Patel stated that the decision follows a thorough evaluation of new scientific evidence. This includes updated data on the disease burden and the proven effectiveness of a single-dose schedule for the vaccine.
Patel also highlighted that the ministry has already begun training efforts to prepare both medical and paramedical personnel for the nationwide rollout. The recommendation for inclusion was formally made by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) in June 2022.
The move comes after persistent advocacy by MP D. Ravikumar, who has raised the issue repeatedly in Parliament over the past six years. In a social media post, Ravikumar noted that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had already introduced the vaccine in Villupuram, acting on his request. The new announcement marks the expansion of that initiative to a national level.
India bears the world’s highest burden of cervical cancer-related deaths, with approximately 100,000 women dying each year from the disease. Within the country, Tamil Nadu ranks second in the number of such fatalities.
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