3 lakh girls get HPV vaccine within 15 days of launch
Nearly three lakh 14-year-old girls have been vaccinated within a fortnight of the launch of the HPV vaccination campaign, marking an encouraging start to the critical public health initiative. Health ministry officials said on Tuesday that several States, including Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Odisha, and Mizoram, are leading from the front in the nationwide HPV vaccination campaign.
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine plays a vital role in preventing cervical cancer, one of the most common cancers affecting women. “The campaign has been strategically rolled out during the academic period, and while examinations are currently underway in many regions, the response has remained strong,” an official said.
“With the conclusion of the exam season approaching, the momentum of the vaccination drive is expected to accelerate significantly, enabling wider coverage and ensuring that more girls benefit from this life-saving intervention,” an official stated.
Health authorities are actively working in coordination with schools, local bodies, and healthcare workers to ensure smooth access to the vaccine.
The official said it is more than just a campaign and is a collective movement towards a healthier, cancer-free future for daughters.
The single-dose Gardasil-4 vaccine is administered free of cost at Government health facilities, including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs- Primary Health Centres (PHCs), community health centres (CHCs), sub-district hospitals/district hospitals and Government medical colleges.
The vaccines are being administered in the presence of medical officers, and the vaccination sites are linked to 24x7 adverse events management centres.
Parental consent is mandatory, and beneficiaries can register on the U-WIN platform. The vaccination is voluntary, and medical officers are trained to manage adverse events.
The operational guidelines for the rollout of the HPV vaccination campaign have been disseminated to all States and Union Territories.
