UP reaches landmark in cervical cancer prevention for adolescent girls
Lucknow, September 18: Uttar Pradesh has achieved a significant milestone towards a healthy and secure future for its girls. The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Campaign has achieved 100% of the target by providing protective shield to over 26 lakh girls. This achievement reflects the state government’s commitment to a safe tomorrow, health protection, and cervical cancer prevention for adolescent girls in the state.
Under the National HPV Vaccination Campaign, eligible girls aged 14 years are being provided a free single-dose HPV vaccine at government health centers with parental consent. Under this campaign, this life-saving vaccine is being administered free of charge to every girl who has completed her 14th birthday but has not yet reached her 15th birthday. According to medical experts, this age group is considered most suitable for the vaccine’s effectiveness, which can significantly reduce the risk of cervical cancer in the future.
It is noteworthy that due to the relatively high cost of the HPV vaccine in private hospitals, many families find it difficult to access it. Consequently, the Uttar Pradesh government is making this vaccine available completely free of charge at all government health centers and district hospitals across the state, ensuring that even daughters from economically weaker sections are not deprived of this protective shield.
On this occasion, Mission Director, National Health Mission, Dr Pinky Jowel, in a statement, stated that Uttar Pradesh is among the states achieving 100% coverage in its identified target group. The availability of HPV vaccine protection to over 2.6 million daughters is not just an achievement or a statistic for us, but an emotional moment linked to the hopes of millions of families and the secure future of our daughters. A daughter’s health not only means the health of one family, but also the strength and security of future generations. We want every daughter to be completely healthy and confident and move forward to fulfill her dreams. Timely vaccination to prevent cervical cancer is an effort to reduce a major future concern today.
She explained that HPV infection is one of the major causes of cervical cancer. HPV vaccination during adolescence is an important preventive measure to reduce the risk of HPV infection and related cancers in the future. To this end, widespread public awareness and community participation are being emphasized to ensure vaccine access for eligible girls in the state.
