42 schoolgirls get 2nd dose of anti-cervical cancer vaccine

Forty-two students of Auckland House School for Girls above the age of 14 received the second dose of the cervical cancer vaccine during a vaccination drive held at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and Hospital in Shimla on Wednesday. The girls were administered the Nonavalent HPV Vaccine (Gardasil-9), while seven received the Quadrivalent Vaccine (Gardasil-4).

The initiative follows the school’s pioneering vaccination drive in August when over 120 girls aged nine and above were given their first dose of the HPV vaccine. The campaign originated from a comprehensive health awareness workshop held by renowned gynaecologist Dr Alok Sharma, who sensitised parents, teachers and students about the importance of the HPV vaccination in preventing cervical cancer — one of the most common cancers among women in India.