In a significant public health initiative, the Maharashtra state health department has announced it will begin offering free Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations to all girls aged 9 to 14 years starting from January 2026. This expansion aims to provide widespread protection against the primary cause of cervical cancer, which is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women in India.
From Pilot to Statewide Programme
The move follows the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's announcement in the 2024 budget, where the central government committed to providing free HPV jabs for girls in this age bracket. Maharashtra has already been running a pilot project, vaccinating a limited number of girls in government-run schools over recent months. Based on this experience, the programme is now set to be scaled up across the entire state.
Dr. Sandeep Sangle, Joint Director of the state family welfare department, confirmed the details. "The vaccines will be distributed after the order from the central government. It will be available free at public health facilities," he stated. He added that detailed guidelines concerning consent, tracking, and record-keeping have been issued. Awareness campaigns for adult women regarding screening and early diagnosis will also continue alongside the vaccination drive.
Preparing for a Major Immunisation Drive
The HPV vaccine is most effective when administered to adolescent girls before they are exposed to the virus. With this rollout, Maharashtra will join a select group of states to include the HPV vaccine in its universal routine immunisation programme. The state has already received a substantial consignment of 9,50,000 doses in the first week of November 2024.
Extensive preparations are underway to ensure a smooth launch. As per central guidelines, training for health workers at the state and district levels has been completed. Officials confirmed that the crucial block-level training concluded successfully on November 15.
A Crucial Step Against a Preventable Cancer
The importance of this initiative is underscored by the grim statistics around cervical cancer in India. It is the second most common cancer among Indian women after breast cancer. India records over 77,000 cervical cancer deaths annually. However, medical experts emphasize that this particular cancer is largely preventable through vaccination and is fully curable if detected early through regular screening.
The central government's plan to include the HPV vaccine in the National Immunisation Programme is designed to create a robust shield for adolescent girls against the virus. The Maharashtra government's decision to implement this from 2026 marks a proactive step in translating national policy into life-saving action on the ground, promising a healthier future for thousands of young women.
