India, Feb. 25 -- The central government will launch a special nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign this month for girls aged 14 years to combat cervical cancer, according to people in the health ministry.

As part of the campaign, the programme will use a single-shot Gardasil, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine, which provides protection against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause cervical cancer, as well as types 6 and 11.

The government is procuring the vaccine from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. According to health department officials, the Centre will procure 26 million Gardasildoses by 2027.

Eligible beneficiaries can register on the U-WIN portal to receive the vaccination.

"Ten million doses have already reached India. T...