Expedite inclusion of HPV vaccine in Universal Immunisation Programme: Par panel

New Delhi | A Parliamentary panel has recommended expediting the inclusion of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the Universal Immunisation Programme across all states and Union Territories to significantly reduce cervical cancer incidence and improve women's health outcomes.

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women in India, and the HPV vaccine has proven effective in its prevention, the Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha, headed by Narain Dass Gupta said in its report submitted on Wednesday.

The Union Budget 2024 prioritised the phased introduction of the vaccine, with The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommending its inclusion in the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) for girls aged 9-14 years.

However, the rollout has so far begun only in Sikkim and Bihar, and the vaccine is yet to be integrated into the national immunisation schedule, the Committee noted. "The Committee, therefore, strongly recommends expediting the inclusion of the HPV vaccine in the UIP across all states and Union Territories to significantly reduce cervical cancer incidence and improve women's health outcomes," it said.

In light of the low rate of cancer screening in the country, the Committee also recommended that the government should scale up the national screening programme, with particular focus on regions with limited access to medical care.

In addition to expanding screening infrastructure, it urged the government to intensify awareness campaigns across the country. These campaigns should be region-specific, rather than generalised, to ensure maximum outreach, it said.

The non-government organisations should be actively involved as they are well aware of the ground realities and possess valuable experience of working with local communities.

Given the social stigma still associated with cancer in many parts of the country, leveraging these partnerships will effectively supplement the efforts of the government in conveying the preventive messages, it stated while suggesting utilisation of services of celebrities, especially celebrity cancer survivors to drive home the point of importance of early screening.

To strengthen the district-level health facilities, the Committee recommended that the government should consider up-skilling doctors currently serving in primary and secondary healthcare centres through targeted training programmes.

It also highlighted the need to enhance the skills of nurses and technicians involved in cancer care delivery. It further noted that radiotherapy infrastructure in the country remains underdeveloped, with most critical equipment currently being imported, making procedures prohibitively expensive for a large section of the population.

In particular, the domestic manufacturing of PET scan equipment must be prioritised, the panel said.