Relevance: GS II (Health & Social Justice) | Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

1. The Big News: What is the Government doing?

The Union Health Ministry is starting a massive, nationwide vaccination drive to protect young girls from a deadly disease called cervical cancer.

• Who gets it? The government will give this vaccine to 14-year-old girls.
• Why this age? Science shows that the vaccine works best when given to young girls before they are ever exposed to the infection.
• Cost and Choice: The vaccine will be completely free at all government hospitals and local health centres. It is voluntary, meaning parents can choose if they want their daughters to take it.

2. Understanding the Threat: HPV and Cervical Cancer

• The Virus (HPV): The Human Papillomavirus is a very common virus. While most types are harmless, a few dangerous types cause cervical cancer in women.
• The Danger in India: Cervical cancer is currently the second most common cancer among Indian women. Nearly 80,000 new cases are found every year.
• The Good News: This is one of the few cancers in the world that can be completely prevented just by taking a timely vaccine.

3. Special Features of the Vaccination Drive

• The ‘Four-in-One’ Shield: India will use a special vaccine called Gardasil. It acts as a single shield against the four most dangerous types of the HPV virus.
• Just One Dose is Enough: Earlier, private doctors used to give two or three doses of this expensive vaccine. Now, global science has proved that just a single dose gives highly strong and lifelong protection.
• Equality in Health: Private HPV vaccines cost thousands of rupees. By making it free, the government ensures that a poor farmer’s daughter gets the exact same cancer protection as a rich family’s daughter.

4. The Main Ground-Level Hurdles

• Fear and Fake News: Many parents in rural areas might feel scared to vaccinate their daughters due to rumours or fear of side effects. To build trust, trained doctors will stay at the camps to safely observe the girls after the injection.
• Cold Storage Tensions: These vaccines spoil if they get warm. Keeping them in strict, ice-cold storage and safely transporting them to faraway villages is a huge physical challenge.

UPSC Value Box

With reference to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and related public health drives in India, consider the following statements:

1. HPV vaccines are primarily designed to cure existing cases of cervical cancer in adult women.
2. Cervical cancer is currently recognized as the second most common cancer among women in India.
3. The new nationwide public health drive focuses on a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule for 14-year-old girls.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)