Over 200,000 adolescent girls aged 9 to 14 in Madhya Pradesh have been vaccinated against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), as confirmed by Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla. This vaccination campaign is part of a national effort initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to combat cervical cancer among women. Madhya Pradesh has taken a leading position in the country by vaccinating more than 100,000 girls within the first 15 days of the campaign, with the number now exceeding 200,000.
The state government, in collaboration with various departments and voluntary organizations, has turned this vaccination initiative into a mass movement across Madhya Pradesh. Districts like Mandla, Balaghat, Dindori, Rajgarh, Khargone, and others have shown significant progress in the campaign, achieving high vaccination coverage through school camps, community health centers, and villages.
Districts such as Dindori, Rajgarh, Balaghat, Mandla, Khargone, and Khandwa have reported high vaccination coverage percentages among adolescent girls. Deputy Chief Minister Shukla urged parents to ensure that their daughters aged 14 to 15 receive the HPV vaccine to protect them from serious illnesses like cervical cancer. He expressed confidence that the state’s Health Department would soon complete vaccinating all eligible girls.
The HPV vaccination campaign, which started on February 28, will run for 90 days. Following the campaign phase, the HPV vaccine will be available during routine immunization sessions. HPV vaccines have been reported to be highly effective, with a 93-100% success rate in preventing cervical cancer caused by vaccine-covered HPV types. Additionally, high vaccination coverage can lead to a herd effect, reducing the circulation of HPV strains and providing indirect protection to unvaccinated individuals.
