Nationwide HPV Vaccination Programme Launch
Why focus: Iron Law 4: Flagship scheme launch. GS3 Science/Health testing Gardasil-4 vaccine specifics and 14-year-old girl target demographic.
In News
What Happened
Why It Matters
Background
History & Context
What Changed
- ▶
Vaccine Accessibility: BEFORE, HPV vaccines were highly expensive and restricted mostly to private healthcare settings. NOW, Gardasil-4 is provided completely free of cost to eligible girls at government health facilities.
- ▶
National Immunisation Schedule: BEFORE, HPV vaccination was recommended by medical bodies but was absent from the government's official mandate. NOW, the vaccine is formally integrated into the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
- ▶
Scale of Administration: BEFORE, HPV vaccination occurred sporadically or in isolated state-level pilot programs. NOW, the government has initiated a targeted three-month nationwide campaign to achieve high coverage rapidly.
Prelims Angle
NCERT Connection
Practice Questions
Q1
Correct Statement(s)Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the HPV vaccine and its rollout in India? 1. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) recommended the inclusion of the HPV vaccine in the Universal Immunisation Programme. 2. The Gardasil-4 vaccine protects against bacterial pathogens known to cause cervical cancer.