HPV vaccination
By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: In a landmark step towards safeguarding the nation’s daughters from cervical cancer, PM Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the nationwide HPV vaccination campaign from Ajmer in Rajasthan. Addressing the gathering, he said the government’s objective was not limited to treatment alone but placed greater emphasis on prevention of diseases.
Under the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive, girls in the 14-year age group will receive the vaccine free of cost, significantly reducing the risk of cervical cancer in the future. The campaign will be rolled out in phases across all states and Union Territories.
In Bihar, people watched the live telecast of the Prime Minister’s address at the IGIMS campus in Patna in the presence of Health Minister Mangal Pandey, marking the beginning of a new phase of vaccination in the state.
Mr Pandey said it was a matter of pride for Bihar that it had been the first state in the country to introduce HPV vaccination. Around one-and-a-half years ago, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the programme was launched for adolescent girls aged between 9 and 14 years.
At that time, vaccination was carried out under a two-dose system. So far, more than 6.79 lakh girls have received the first dose, while over 85,000 have been administered the second dose. The remaining eligible beneficiaries will receive their second dose upon completion of the prescribed interval, he said.
Mr Pandey further informed that Bihar’s scheme has now been integrated with the Centre’s national programme. As a result, HPV vaccines will now be supplied free of cost by the Central Government, relieving the state exchequer of the financial burden it had previously borne.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women after breast cancer, claiming thousands of lives annually. The Health Minister said the vaccination drive would play a crucial role in protecting future generations from this serious disease.
He added that under the Prime Minister’s leadership, the country had resolved to ensure that daughters are protected from cervical cancer and related fatalities in the coming years. Bihar has been assigned a target of vaccinating 13 lakh girls in the 9–14 age group this year.
The facility will be available at community health centres located at district and block headquarters across the state to ensure that no eligible girl is deprived of the vaccine. More than six lakh doses have already been made available to the state by the Centre, he said.
Calling for the campaign to move forward with the slogan, “Healthy Daughter, Secure Bihar, Empowered World”, Mr Pandey appealed to the State Health Society, district health officials and healthcare workers to make coordinated efforts to achieve the target.
Expressing confidence, he said Bihar would accomplish the 13-lakh vaccination goal within the stipulated timeframe and set a new benchmark in the health sector. With the nationwide rollout of the programme, a significant decline in cervical cancer cases is expected in the coming years, ensuring a safer future for the country’s daughters.
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