A Parliamentary panel has strongly recommended accelerating the nationwide inclusion of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) to reduce cervical cancer incidence and improve women’s health outcomes.
Cervical cancer remains the most common cancer among women in India. The HPV vaccine has been proven effective in preventing it, the Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha, chaired by Narain Dass Gupta, highlighted in its recent report.
The Union Budget 2024 had already prioritised the phased rollout of the vaccine, with the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommending its inclusion for girls aged 9–14 years. However, the rollout so far is limited to Sikkim and Bihar, with the vaccine yet to be fully integrated into the national immunisation schedule.
Given India’s low cancer screening rates, the panel also urged scaling up the national screening programme, especially in underserved regions. It stressed the importance of targeted awareness campaigns tailored to local contexts, rather than generic messaging, to ensure maximum reach.
The Committee recommended involving non-governmental organisations, which have deep community-level engagement, to help overcome social stigma and improve acceptance. The use of celebrities, particularly cancer survivors, was also suggested to promote the importance of vaccination and early screening.
To improve cancer care delivery, the panel called for upskilling doctors in primary and secondary healthcare centres and enhancing the skills of nurses and technicians. It flagged concerns over limited radiotherapy infrastructure and reliance on imported equipment, which makes treatments unaffordable for many.
The panel further recommended prioritising domestic manufacturing of PET scan equipment to lower costs and expand accessibility.