Cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer in Indian women aged between 15 and 44 years.
Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV), India’s first cervical cancer vaccine will be launched today, 1st September 2022. Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State(Independent Charge) Science & Technology will be launching the most awaited vaccine at India International Center (IIC), Delhi.
Dr. N K Arora, Chairperson of the COVID working group, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) said, “It is very exciting and I must say it makes us very happy that our daughters and granddaughters will now be able to get this much-awaited vaccine”.
On 12th July, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted market authorization to the Serum Institute of India (SII) to manufacture this indigenously-developed vaccine against cervical cancer.
Dr. N K Arora said, “It is very effective and prevents cervical cancer because, 85% to 90% of cases, cervical cancer is because of this particular virus and this vaccine is against those viruses. So, if we give it to our young children and daughters, they are protected from the infection, and consequently probably 30 years later, cancer does not occur.”
