Cervical cancer vaccine to come under UIP
: The Union health and family welfare ministry has recommended the introduction of the
cervical cancer vaccine
in the
Universal Immunisation Programme
(UIP), said Union minister of state for health and family welfare
Anupriya Patel
.
In a written reply to the queries posed by Villupuram VCK MP D Ravikumar, Patel said the recommendation was based on the evaluation of fresh evidence on disease burden and effectiveness of a single dose of the
cervical cancer
vaccine.
Patel said the ministry has initiated a capacity-building exercise for medical and paramedical staff members regarding the vaccine. She said the
National Technical Advisory Group for Immunisation
recommended the vaccine in the UIP in June 2022.
Ravikumar was questioning the ministry about the delay in including the vaccine in the UIP. In a social media post, Ravikumar said he has been raising the issue in Parliament for the last six years.
He said chief minister M K Stalin launched the vaccine programme specifically in the Villupuram following his repeated requests. Now, the initiative will be launched across the country, he said.
India has highest number of cervical cancer-related deaths in the world. Around one lakh women die every year in the country due to this disease. Among Indian states, TN ranks second in the number of such deaths.
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