HPV vaccine for girls launched in district

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive has been launched in the district to protect adolescent girls from cervical cancer, following a District Task Force meeting held under the leadership of Civil Surgeon Dr Satinderjit Singh Bajaj.

The meeting was organised as per the guidelines of the government and was attended by representatives from the Education Department, Anganwadi Department, Nursing Colleges, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP), and various NGOs.

Addressing the participants, Dr Bajaj said the HPV vaccine is now being administered to girls aged 14 to 15 years across the district. "The launch of this vaccine marks a major step in the prevention of cervical cancer. We aim to ensure that every eligible girl is covered under this programme," he said while urging departments to work in close coordination for its successful implementation.

Dr Rashmi, District Immunisation Officer, informed that all beneficiaries are being registered and monitored through the U-Win digital portal. "The vaccine has been included in the immunisation schedule from February 28. Proper planning has been done to conduct vaccination sessions in schools and health institutions to achieve maximum coverage," she said.

Officials emphasised the need to spread awareness among parents and communities regarding the safety and benefits of the HPV vaccine to avoid misinformation and hesitation.

Among those present at the meeting were senior medical officers, district education officers, IMA president Dr Preeti Malhotra, Rural Medical Officer Parneet Kaur, and representatives of the NGOs, Meenakshi, Nidhi and Gayatri, along with other officials and health staff.