After a slow start, HPV vaccination sees an uptick: 11,000 girls receive the shot
(File Photo)More than three months after India began a nationwide campaign to vaccinate 14-year-old girls against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the national capital has administered roughly 11,000 doses, according to a senior health department official. The figure, officials say, reflects a slow but steadily accelerating start to one of the country’s most important public health drives in recent years, aimed at preventing cervical cancer, the second most common cancer among women in India.Launched on February 28, the drive aims to vaccinate approximately 1.15 crore girls annually across India’s states and union territories. Delhi health department officials said participation in the first weeks fell short of expectations, hampered in part by vaccine hesitancy and limited awareness, but has increased sharply in recent weeks as schools and local authorities intensified outreach efforts. “The first few weeks saw low participation, which we had anticipated,” the official said. “The number was only around 1,000 initially. But over the last few weeks, it has risen to 11,000, which shows the campaign is now gathering momentum.” Last Sunday alone, officials administered around 277 doses, among the highest single-day totals since the campaign began, the official said. The push gained pace after education authorities issued directions on March 7 urging schools and local health teams to strengthen awareness campaigns. Since then, teachers and frontline health workers have increased outreach both inside schools and in surrounding communities, officials said. The Delhi health department has also organised weekend vaccination drives and instructed medical officers to work directly with families, encouraging parents to accompany their children to vaccination centres.Story continues below this ad Officials said meetings were recently held with district magistrates and senior administrators to discuss ways to accelerate the campaign before schools reopen after the summer vacation. “We discussed how to expedite the programme and expand coverage further,” the official said.
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