Telangana to launch free HPV vax for adolescent girls

HYDERABAD: With cervical cancer cases rising every year, Telangana is set to launch a statewide human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme for adolescent girls aged 14 and 15, with the aim of protecting them from cervical cancer.

This forms part of the central health ministry’s nationwide HPV vaccination programme. The vaccination will be free and voluntary, ensuring equal access across socioeconomic groups. This is a significant intervention as, in the private sector, the vaccine typically costs between ₹2,000 and ₹4,000 per dose.




Officials said the rollout in the state is expected to begin at the end of Feb or in early March. The state govt has procured 4.6 lakh doses of the quadrivalent Gardasil 4 vaccine, which protects against four of the most common cancer-causing strains of the virus: HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18.

The vaccine will be administered at primary health centres and other public health facilities in the state “We have completed all the logistical preparations, including training medical personnel and stocking vaccine doses. Now we are awaiting official approval from the Centre. Bulk procurement of the vaccine is part of our strategy to combat the growing burden of cervical cancer,” said an official.

The health department has trained 1,200 medical officers, 2,600 mid-level health providers, 1,850 supervisors, 7,000 auxiliary nurse midwives and 2,000 other staff members from across the state.

Upward trend

Across India, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women after breast cancer, with about 1.27 lakh new cases reported annually compared to around 1.92 lakh breast cancer cases.

Data presented in the Lok Sabha in Feb of this year shows a steady upward trend in cervical cancer cases in Telangana from 2021 to 2025. During this period, cervical cancer cases in Telangana increased from 3,169 to 3,233. Cervical cancer mortality also showed an upward trend. While Telangana reported 1,711 cervical cancer deaths in 2021, this figure rose to 1,746 in 2025.

Senior govt gynaecologists, Dr Hema Latha, said the HPV vaccine is crucial for protecting young girls in the future, as symptoms of cervical cancer often appear late and infection typically occurs after sexual exposure, often after marriage. “Administering the vaccine to adolescent girls builds immunity before exposure. It also helps to prevent other HPV-related cancers, including anal, vaginal, vulvar and penile cancers, thereby significantly reducing future cancer cases and