Tamil Nadu to Roll Out HPV Vaccination for Teenage Girls
Tamil Nadu is set to provide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations to girls aged 14. This initiative, funded by a ₹36 crore allocation, aims to combat cervical cancer, a significant health concern for women.
Procurement and Implementation
The Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) has started the tender process to secure HPV vaccines. The supply is anticipated to reach hospitals within three months. This effort follows the state government’s budget announcement for 2025-2026.
A State Advisory Committee, chaired by the Health Secretary, was formed in April to oversee the vaccination program’s implementation. This committee includes various officials and experts from the health and education sectors.
“The State Advisory Committee has discussed all modalities, including protocols for vaccination. Based on its recommendations, we have gone ahead with the procurement of vaccines. The TNMSC has floated the tenders to procure them,”
—T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
The vaccination program will commence by vaccinating 14-year-old girls in government and government-aided schools. The initiative will include awareness campaigns for children and their families.
Expert Perspective
Dr. Jayashree Natarajan, Gynaecologic Oncologist and Associate Professor at the Cancer Institute (WIA), notes that vaccination is not solely for cervical cancer prevention; it also prevents pre-invasive lesions that can develop into cancer.
The Cancer Institute (WIA) has already administered approximately 3,500 HPV vaccine doses at its screening centers in Villupuram Government Hospital and Chennai. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that HPV vaccination can prevent over 36,000 cases of cancer annually in the United States.
Global Context
Countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States have lowered cervical cancer rates through a mix of screening and vaccination programs. These strategies offer valuable insights for Tamil Nadu’s upcoming initiatives.
