First Indigenous Cervical cancer vaccine launched

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday announced the scientific completion of India's first indigenously developed quadrivalent HPV vaccine. Speaking on the occasion in New Delhi, Dr Singh said, it is India's first indigenously produced affordable and cost effective qHPV vaccine for eliminating cervical cancer. He stressed on the importance of preventive healthcare.  He said the vaccine will be affordable and add to the esteem of the common Indian.Scientific completion implies that R&D activities pertaining to the vaccine are complete and now the next step of making them available to the public would take place. Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that Cervical cancer ranks as the 2nd most prevalent cancers in India and accounts for nearly one-fourth of the world’s cervical cancer deaths despite being largely preventable. He said, current estimates indicate that every year approximately 1.25 lakhs women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and over 75 thousand die from the disease in India, and 83 % of invasive cervical cancers are attributed to HPVs 16 or 18 in India, and 70% of cases worldwide. The Minister said, the most promising intervention for preventing cervical cancer is vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV). It is estimated that HPV types 16 and 18 (HPV-16 and HPV-18) together contribute to approximately 70% of all invasive cervical cancer cases worldwide.
 The Minister said the schemes and initiatives taken by the Modi government in the healthcare sector like Ayushman Bharat have put India in a position where it can now think abput preventive healthcare. Addressing the gathering,  CEO of Serum Institute of India,  Adar Poonawalla said they are now focused on well-being of women.  He said, women have to be healthy if they are to be empowered Poonawalla said India has to be self reliant and it is important for government and private sector to work together.