Global HPV vaccination and cervical cancer prevention

Global efforts to implement human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes to prevent cervical cancer face varying levels of success and different regional challenges.

In India, a national free, single-dose vaccination programme has been launched following clinical trials suggesting a single dose provides 97% protection. However, in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchy district, uptake has been low, with only about 2,000 girls vaccinated out of 100,000 eligible adolescents. Officials suggest the reliance on voluntary parental consent, rather than school-based delivery, has contributed to the shortfall.

In Latvia, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) is urging parents to vaccinate children before the school year to avoid scheduling issues. As of August 2026, data indicates that 54.7% of children born in 2012 and 2013 have received the first dose, while 42.8% have received the second dose.

In South Africa, research in the Mpumalanga and Free State provinces regarding the national school-based programme shows that while caregivers generally view the vaccine positively for cancer prevention, hesitancy remains due to safety concerns, limited information, and cultural or religious factors.

In the United Kingdom, a study published in The Lancet suggests that early vaccination significantly reduces cervical cancer mortality. Analysis of women aged 20 to 34 shows that those vaccinated at ages 12 to 13 face a “near-zero risk” of dying from cervical cancer before age 30. Since the programme began in 2008, researchers estimate approximately 200 deaths have been prevented, with the UK recording no deaths from cervical cancer among women aged 20 to 24 between 2020 and 2024.