Watch | What is the Human Papillomavirus Virus vaccine?
In December final yr, the authorities of India introduced that it’s going to roll out the HPV vaccine, or the Human papillomavirus virus, for women aged between 9 and 14 years. The transfer is seen as a game-changer that may save the lives of tens of millions of girls in the nation.
What is the HPV vaccine, and the way necessary is it?
Cancer is a illness wherein cells in the physique develop uncontrolled. When most cancers begins in the cervix, it causes cervical most cancers.
In India, one lady is killed each eight minutes as a consequence of cervical most cancers. Globally, cervical most cancers is the second-most frequent most cancers kind. India accounts for 1/fifth of the international instances. And regardless that cervical most cancers is preventable, it kills 67,000 girls per yr in India alone.
There is little consciousness about this most cancers and fewer than 10% of Indian girls get screened. Even although two international vaccines can be found in India since 2018, they had been priced between Rs 2000-3500, making them out of attain for a number of individuals.
The value additionally prevented authorities packages to undertake the vaccine. A brand new HPV vaccine, referred to as CERVAVAC is to be rolled out by mid-2023 and can be manufactured in India.