New Delhi, Feb. 24 -- India is set to roll out a nationwide human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program aimed at eliminating cervical cancer, the second most common cancer among women in India, according to two officials familiar with the matter.

This special vaccination campaign is only for girls aged 14 years across all socio-economic groups, said one of the officials quoted earlier, speaking on the condition of anonymity as details are not public yet. "While it is not currently under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), the rollout aligns with the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Strategy to Eliminate Cervical Cancer."

Nearly 80,000 new cases of cervical cancer and over 42,000 deaths are reported annually in India. ...