HPV vaccine rate low despite dedicated centres at PGIMER

Naina Mishra

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Chandigarh, March 11

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has established dedicated vaccination centres for different age groups, with the Advanced Paediatric Centre (APC) catering to young girls aged 9 to 15 and the gynae OPD attending to adolescent and adult girls for HPV vaccine.

Over the past three months, the APC has successfully administered HPV vaccine to 58 girls, while the Gynae OPD has seen 50-60 adult girls receiving the vaccine in recent months.

Jab helps prevent cervical cancer

• Despite PGI’s efforts, daily average HPV vaccination rate at the institution ranges from 0 to 1
• This underscores need to spread awareness among eligible individuals to go for this preventive measure

HPV vaccination to young girls from 9 to 15 years is administered at the APC vaccination centre and for adolescent girls, the PGI counsels them at the gynae OPD and those who accept are given the vaccine at the gynae OPD (minor OT).

The institute participated in the phase II/III clinical trial of CERVAVAC vs Gardasil, contributing to the increased focus on HPV vaccination.

Despite commendable efforts, the daily average vaccination rate at PGIMER currently ranges from 0 to 1. This underscores the importance of spreading awareness about HPV vaccination and encouraging eligible individuals to take advantage of this preventive measure.

The recommended age for HPV vaccination, according to global health organisations, is 9 to 26 years. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US advises routine vaccination at age 11 or 12, with a two-dose schedule for those starting before their 15th birthday. The WHO emphasises a reduced dose schedule for girls aged 9-14 and recommends a one or two-dose schedule for those aged 15-20, as well as a two-dose schedule with a 6-month interval for women older than 21.

HPV infection is a leading cause of cervical cancer. The vaccine is highly effective in preventing infections from the high-risk HPV types that are strongly linked to the development of cervical cancer. By vaccinating individuals before they become exposed to these high-risk types, the vaccine significantly reduces the risk of cervical cancer.