Around 10,000 adolescent girls in Gurugram are expected to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine as Haryana prepares to launch a three-month vaccination drive at the block level. The campaign will begin on February 28 from the Civil Hospital in Sector 10.
During a press conference held in Sector 38, Dr Lokveer Singh, chief medical officer of Gurugram, said, “Special camps will also be held across the district to ensure that the maximum number of teenage girls receive the vaccination.”
Dr Singh said that the main aim of the drive is to reduce the risk of cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer among women in India. He explained that human papillomavirus is one of the leading causes of cervical cancer, especially HPV types 16 and 18. The vaccine being given in the campaign protects against four types of the virus - 6, 11, 16 and 18.
He added that the girls who receive shots would be kept under observation at the hospital for 30 minutes to rule out any side effects of the vaccine shots.
Health officials said the programme is part of a universal vaccination effort. The state plans to complete the first phase of coverage within 100 days. Haryana has received 1.14 lakh doses of the HPV vaccine, and around 3 lakh girls are expected to benefit from it across the state this year.
The vaccine will be given free of cost and participation will be voluntary. The target group includes girls who are 14 years old and have not yet turned 15.
All vaccinations will be recorded digitally on the U-WIN portal. Consent will be taken through an OTP-based system, though written permission from parents will also be accepted. Beneficiaries will receive digital vaccination certificates, and finger marking will be done to avoid duplication.
"On the launch day, at least 50 eligible girls are to be vaccinated at the district hospital, though all eligible beneficiaries present will be covered. We received 3,000 vaccines so far. We will roll out from Monday to a few health centres. After three months, it will be given in routine immunisation,” District surveillance officer Jaiprakash Rajliwal was quoted by TOI as saying.
The drive will later expand to polyclinics and health centres in Sohna, Pataudi, Farrukhnagar, Borha Kalan and Ghangrola.
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