Focusing on the health sector in the interim budget 2024 speech, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the initiative to encourage the vaccination for cervical cancer in girls aged 9-14. Cervical Cancer is a major cause of cancer mortality in women and more than a quarter of its global burden is contributed by developing countries such as India. According to experts, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in Indian women accounting for about 18% of all cancers occurring in this demographic group.
To prevent cervical cancer, free vaccination campaigns for girls aged 9-14 years will be started under mission ‘Indradhanush’. Regarding maternal and child health car, the Finance Minister said that various schemes for maternal and child health will be brought into operation. Anganwadi (Rural Child care centres) will also be upgraded.
The Sikkim Government was the first to start this campaign after they bought HPV vaccine named GAVI in 2016, and administered it to girls aged 9-14 years. Statistics show that according to data of Sikkim Government, 97% if girls were vaccinated under this program.
In her address regarding Viksit Bharat, Sitharaman further said the newly designed U-WIN platform for managing immunisation and intensified efforts of Mission Indradhanush will be rolled out expeditiously throughout the country. Upgradation of anganwadi centres under ‘Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0’ will be expedited for improved nutrition delivery, early childhood care and development