The centre requests that states compile information on females aged nine to 14 and raise awareness.
Cervical cancer vaccinations for girls between the ages of nine and 14 will primarily be offered through schools, the Center announced today. Additionally, it requested that states and UTs begin compiling information on the number of girls enrolled in Classes V to X in each district and raise awareness of the value of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
According to the ministry, a joint letter from the secretaries of education and health to states highlighted that cervical cancer was the second most frequent cancer and that it was responsible for the highest share of the burden of cervical cancer worldwide.
If discovered early and treated appropriately, cervical cancer is a preventable and curable disease. The HPV virus is a common cause of cervical cancer, and the vaccination, if given to girls and women before they are exposed to the virus, can help prevent the disease in most cases. One of the cornerstones of the worldwide plan the WHO has chosen for the eradication of cervical cancer is prevention through vaccination, it stated.
The National Technical Advisory Group for Immunization has advised including the HPV vaccination in the Universal Immunization Program with a one-time catch-up for females between the ages of nine and 14 and a routine introduction after nine years.
States and UTs have been tasked with providing the essential guidance to ensure the campaign's success, including setting up HPV vaccination clinics in schools and educating parents through unique parent-teacher conferences.
"Schools would be the main source of the immunisation. The immunisation would be given at a health institution in order to reach those girls who are unable to go to school on the day of the campaign. The programme will be carried out for out-of-school girls through community outreach and mobile teams, the letter states.
The Center also urged the governments and UTs to set up handwashing stations and train teachers to teach pupils about hygiene.
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