Politics · India Bureau
India to ramp up HPV vaccination drive amid awareness gap
India's Health Minister has pledged fresh initiatives to expand human papillomavirus vaccination coverage across the country, citing low public awareness as a key barrier. The minister has called on medical professionals to play an active role in promoting the immunisation programme.
LSN India ·
Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has announced plans to strengthen India's HPV vaccination programme, acknowledging that inadequate awareness remains a significant challenge hindering uptake of the preventive shots. The minister highlighted the need for coordinated action to boost vaccination coverage in a country where cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality among women.
Muraleedharan emphasised the critical role that physicians and healthcare workers must play in driving awareness and acceptance of HPV vaccination. He urged medical professionals to actively engage in public health campaigns and educate patients about the benefits of the vaccine in preventing cervical cancer and other HPV-related malignancies.
The push comes as India continues to grapple with gaps in immunisation coverage despite the availability of HPV vaccines through various public health channels. Low awareness among parents and the general public, combined with limited reach in rural areas, has contributed to vaccination rates falling short of public health targets.
Official statistics have shown that HPV vaccination coverage remains uneven across different states and regions. The health ministry's renewed focus aims to address these disparities through enhanced medical professional engagement and targeted awareness campaigns to improve public understanding of the vaccine's protective benefits.