Why Are Experts Urging To Include Cervical Cancer Vaccine In Universal Immunization Program? Know All Reasons Here

The Center’s welcome to the CERVAVAC, India’s first homogeneously designed vaccine for cervical cancer on September 1 this year, proves to be a trailblazing development in the field of healthcare in India. The Serum Institute of India and the Center’s Department of Biotechnology have collectively worked to give the country its very first made-in-India vaccine for deadly cancer. 

A virtual expert roundtable named, “India Against Cervical Cancer- Role of India’s First Indigenous Vaccine”, was initiated by the IHW Council under the Rapid Global Cancer Alliance, to discuss the next moves.

The Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the Rollins Institute of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, and Founder of the CHIP Foundation, Dr. Ravi Mehrotra, while being a part of the discussion, stated that, “The development is a dream come true for all of us and with correct and cautious implementation, involving all stakeholders in an integrated approach, we can make cervical cancer a disease of the past.”

Why Is It A Need To Include Cervical Cancer Vaccine In Universal Immunization Program?

As per government statistics, Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in India after breast cancer. Moreover, India accounts for approximately one-fourth of the world’s cervical cancer deaths. The sad news is that despite being massively preventable, deadly cancer is so prevalent in the country.

One of the members of the discussion was Ms. Urvashi Prasad, Director, Development Monitoring & Evaluation Office, NITI Aayog expressed, “The indigenous vaccine is a big step towards mass vaccination against HPV however misinformation and stigma around cervical cancer need to be addressed. The need of the hour is to integrate immunization schemes, systematically and strategically into existing health platforms in partnership with state governments.”

As per recent estimates, approximately 1.25 lac women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, and around 75 thousand patients die from this type of cancer in India. Another alarming estimate indicates that over 83 percent of invasive cervical cancers are caused due to human papillomavirus (HPV)s 16 or 18 in the country and 70 percent of cervical cancer cases in the world.

Dr. Raj Shankar Ghosh- Senior Advisor; Vaccine Delivery, India Country Office, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said that “vaccines do not work stand-alone but with an integrated approach with other schemes for better implementation and awareness. The private sector has a huge role to play in terms of collaborating with the government for policy decisions and also for creating awareness with a delivery mechanism in place to ensure proper policy framework,” He also stressed the importance of early screening of cervical cancer and the dire need and importance of behavioral change communication programs for masses.

The indigenously designed vaccine for cervical cancer in India, the CERVAVAC, is seen as a promising and robust step against HPV types 16 and 18, which are creating havoc in the world, leading to 70 percent of invasive cervical cancer cases across the globe. Dr. Bhawna Sirohi, Medical Director, BALCO Medical Center, Naya Raipur asserted that “Cervical cancer and breast cancer are the commonest cancers in women in India. Despite the availability of vaccines, screenings should be done consistently for cervical cancer, while addressing social and cultural barriers related to vaccine hesitancy, along with the capacity building of existing mechanisms including ASHA workers to create awareness on the issue.”