Implementation of human papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination at scale in India

Cervical cancer is a major public health issue in India, resulting in a significant economic burden that is carried disproportionately by patients as out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE). The burden of cervical cancer is so high that it contributes about 122,844 cervical cancer every year. To halt these rising statistics, vaccination against the infection can curb the escalating cervical cancer as one of the preventive methods. Unfortunately, due to various circumstances, India struggles to deliver the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at scale. To provide this promising approach and develop a roadmap of activities in eliminating cervical cancer, it is indispensable to capture the stakeholders’ viewpoints of the HPV vaccine. Therefore, this study intended to include all the stakeholders of vaccination to capture their perspectives regarding the implementation of the HPV vaccine, which will aid a policy review in developing a roadmap of activities to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue from India. Policymakers and health service providers will be included to seek input on how introducing the HPV vaccine would impact current services and systems, which will supplement in formulating the roadmap activities for eliminating cervical cancer as a significant public health issue.