Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda on Friday reaffirmed India’s commitment to eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem while addressing a virtual press briefing at the World Health Organization headquarters. The minister highlighted India’s ongoing efforts to strengthen prevention, screening and treatment programmes, while also calling for stronger global cooperation to tackle major health challenges.

Addressing the gathering, Nadda said the health and dignity of women remain a top national priority and emphasized India’s determination to protect women from preventable diseases such as cervical cancer. He noted that the government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to address the disease, which continues to pose a significant public health challenge both globally and within India.

As part of this strategy, India has expanded population-based screening programmes under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, which is implemented through comprehensive primary healthcare services. Screening using Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) is now available at Ayushman Arogya Mandir centres and other health facilities across the country for women aged between 30 and 65 years. According to the minister, more than 86 million women have already been screened under the programme.

Nadda also highlighted a major milestone in India’s fight against cervical cancer — the nationwide launch of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign. He informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the campaign on February 28, targeting nearly 12 million girls aged 14 years to safeguard adolescent health.

The vaccination drive, being implemented over a 90-day period, follows a single-dose schedule using the Gardasil Quadrivalent vaccine in line with recommendations from the WHO and India’s National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization. The vaccine is being administered free of cost at designated government health facilities.

Nadda said the initiative reflects the government’s vision of “Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar” (Healthy Women, Empowered Families), with prevention and equity forming the core of women’s healthcare policy. He emphasized that the programme is voluntary and requires parental consent, underscoring the government’s respect for community values and family autonomy.

Highlighting the role of digital tools in improving transparency and efficiency, the minister noted that every vaccination event is recorded on the U-WIN digital immunization platform, enabling real-time monitoring. Vaccine stocks and cold-chain logistics are also being tracked through the Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network system.

Nadda also acknowledged the role of frontline health workers in reaching communities and building trust, which he said has been crucial for the successful rollout of the campaign.

Reaffirming India’s support for the global elimination strategy, the minister said the country fully endorses the WHO’s 90–70–90 targets for 2030, which aim to ensure that 90 percent of girls are vaccinated against HPV, 70 percent of women undergo screening, and 90 percent of women diagnosed with cervical disease receive appropriate treatment.

Speaking at the briefing, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted several pressing global health challenges, including obesity, HIV/AIDS and cervical cancer, while emphasizing the importance of sustained global cooperation and scientific innovation.

Tedros noted that significant progress has been made in reducing the global burden of HIV/AIDS, adding that the WHO has supported nine countries in introducing and expanding HIV prevention interventions.

On cervical cancer, he said International HPV Awareness Day serves as a reminder of the global commitment to eliminate the disease. He reiterated the importance of achieving the WHO’s 90–70–90 targets by 2030.

The WHO chief congratulated India’s leadership for its large-scale public health initiatives and praised the HPV vaccination campaign launched by Prime Minister Modi, describing it as the world’s largest free HPV vaccination drive. He noted that around 12 million adolescent girls will be vaccinated annually under the programme.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Tedros said more than 80,000 women die from cervical cancer in India each year, with around 42,000 new cases reported annually, underscoring the importance of preventive measures such as vaccination and early screening.

He also reaffirmed the WHO’s continued support to countries implementing bold initiatives to eliminate cervical cancer and improve women’s health worldwide.

South Africa’s Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi also attended the press conference virtually and congratulated India on launching the nationwide HPV vaccination drive.