Gujarat ignites a war on cervical cancer, rolling out HPV vaccines for 5.5 million adolescent girls in a state-spanning campaign that began in Ahmedabad. This follows PM Narendra Modi’s national launch in Rajasthan on February 28.
At the event in Sola Civil Hospital, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Health Minister Prful Pansheriya set the drive in motion. Aimed squarely at 14-year-old girls, it seeks to eradicate a cancer responsible for 17.7% of cases in Indian women.
India grapples with dire stats—one woman diagnosed every 4:12 minutes, one lost every 7 minutes. Advanced-stage discoveries affect 70-75% of cases, dominating deaths among 30-69-year-olds. In 2022, the nation faced 127,526 new instances and 79,906 deaths; Gujarat had 4,928 cases and 1,781 losses.
GCRI voices cut through misinformation: The HPV vaccine stands safe and potent, neutralizing high-risk types 16 and 18 that fuel most cervical cancers.
Gujarat’s push exemplifies decisive action in public health, promising to shield a generation and reshape the landscape of women’s cancer care through vaccination and vigilance.