Cervical cancer is a major global public health issue, resulting in premature disability and mortality. The GLOBCON Report of 2020 highlights a consistent upward trajectory in the incidence of cervical cancer, reaching a staggering global count of 604,127 cases and contributing to 341,831 fatalities [
1]. Remarkably, more than half of these cases emerge within the Asia-Oceania region, with the Southeast and South-central Asia subregions exhibiting the highest rates of both incidence and mortality [
2,
3]. This epidemiological distribution underscores the critical nature of the issue that requires prevention and interventions.
Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) lack organized cervical cancer screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs, which account for approximately 90% of cervical cancer cases [
4]. Given the gravity of this challenge, the World Health Organization (WHO) has devised a multifaceted strategy termed the “triple-intervention coverag” approach. This strategy entails implementation of HPV vaccination as one of the key strategies for eliminating cervical cancer particularly within LMICs [
5]. Notably, the relevance of this approach extends to South Asian nations, as a significant portion of these countries falls within the LMIC classification [
6].
Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) has outlined various guidelines to assist nations in introducing the vaccine into their national immunization programs [
7]. Despite these efforts, the extent of vaccine coverage in a majority of South Asian countries remains insufficient [
8]. Only a limited subset of nations in South Asia, namely Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, have successfully incorporated the vaccine into their routine national immunization schedules, as documented by PATH in 2022 [
8]. The suboptimal implementation of the vaccine can be ascribed to an array of factors encompassing socio-cultural, healthcare system, and political [
9]. In the South Asian context, India, encountered ethical quandaries during HPV vaccine demonstration initiatives, leading to the suspension of the vaccination program [
10]. Similarly, these nations face multifaceted impediments in the expansion of vaccination endeavors. The absence of thorough analysis and comprehensive consideration of potential influential elements during the planning phase might contribute to a range of challenges in attaining desired health outcomes [
11]. Therefore, it holds significance to comprehend the influencing elements affecting the execution of HPV vaccination and to derive insights from past occurrences in South Asia pertaining to the introduction of the HPV vaccine. This evidence is crucial for addressing concerns in future efforts to improve implementation and scaling up of HPV vaccination and make informed decisions and develop plans to make the HPV vaccination effective in South Asia. Ultimately, this aids in achieving the World Health Organization’s objective of eliminating cervical cancer in this region by 2030.