Cervical Cancer in India: Why the Government’s HPV Vaccination Push Could Save Millions of Indian Women

We always talk about heart attacks and diabetes. We always talk about fevers and coughs. But we rarely talk about the cancer that is silently killing thousands of Indian women every single year. Here, we are talking about cervical cancer.

In a significant step toward improving women’s health, the Government of India is preparing to launch a nationwide vaccination programme against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV)  to nearly 1.15 crore girls aged 14 every year. This initiative focuses on adolescent girls and aims to prevent cervical cancer — one of the most common yet largely preventable cancers among women.

About Cervical Cancer

Think of the cervix as the gateway between the uterus and the vagina. Now, imagine a tiny, unwanted visitor—a virus. It’s called the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) .

This isn’t a rare, exotic virus. It is actually extremely common. In fact, most sexually active people will get some type of HPV in their lifetime without even knowing it. Usually, our immune system fights it off and we never have a problem. But sometimes, with certain high-risk types of HPV, the virus doesn’t leave. It stays, and over years, it begins to slowly cause changes in the cells of the cervix.

It’s a slow, silent process. It can take 10 to 20 years for those abnormal cells to turn into full-blown cancer. That long window is our greatest weapon—if we know how to use it.

The Indian Women And Cervical Cancer

Here is the heartbreaking reality: In India, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer disease in women.

The numbers are not just statistics; they are mothers, sisters, and daughters.

• Every year, nearly 80,000 new cases are detected.

• Every year, over 42,000 women lose their lives to it.

Globally, India contributes a massive chunk of the world’s cervical cancer cases. Why? Because unlike in Western countries where regular screening (Pap smears) catches the problem early, screening rates in India are very low. By the time a woman feels pain or notices bleeding, the cancer is often advanced.

The Reason For Cervical Cancer Non-Detection?

Besides the virus itself, several factors fuel the fire:

1. Lack of Awareness: Most women have never heard of HPV.

2. Lack of Screening: A simple, cheap test called a Pap smear or VIA (Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid) can detect pre-cancerous changes. But in rural India, access to these tests is rare.

3. Social Stigma: Women often ignore symptoms like irregular bleeding because they are embarrassed to discuss it or because their health is not prioritized in the family.

Prevention vs. Treatment: The Cost of Living

If a woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer, the road ahead is scary.

• Surgery: Removing the uterus (hysterectomy) can cost anywhere from ₹50,000 to ₹2,00,000 in a government – private hospital.

• Radiation and Chemotherapy: A full course of radiation and chemo can easily run into ₹2 to ₹5 lakhs or more depending upon spread.

• The Hidden Cost: The loss of wages, the travel to the city for treatment, the mental and financial toll on the family.

For a middle-class or poor family, this is financially devastating. Many sell land, take loans, or simply give up treatment.

This is where the HPV vaccine changes the game. It costs a fraction of that treatment. By giving it to the adolescent girls at age 14—long before they could ever be exposed to the virus—we are building a shield. We are telling the virus, “You are not welcome here.”