Naidu to launch statewide HPV vaccine drive for 14 year old girls from today

Vijayawada: In its fight against cervical cancer among girl children and women in the state, the state govt will roll out a free Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme for approximately 3.45 lakh children aged 14 years across Andhra Pradesh from Saturday. Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu will formally launch the HPV vaccination programme at Cheepurupalli in Vizianagaram district.According to an official release issued on Friday, health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav said the vaccination campaign would be implemented through 1,645 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Urban Health Centres equipped with cold storage facilities. The govt allocated Rs 14.11 crore for the programme. The medical and health department made elaborate arrangements for the effective implementation of the vaccination programme, which will be administered at PHCs, UPHCs, CHCs, area, district and GGH hospitals across the state. According to the govt, the vaccination drive will continue for approximately 3 months, with district-wise schedules prepared as per GoI guidelines. Of the total eligible beneficiaries, Kurnool district has the highest 23,957 beneficiaries, while Polavaram district has the least, with 2,777 people eligible to receive the vaccine. Accordingly, the state received a total of 1.90 lakh vaccination doses of 0.5 ml, with HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 19 covered under the programme.The health minister noted that additional vaccine doses will be supplied based on requirement. Further, vaccinated beneficiaries will be issued certificates, and prior parental consent will be mandatory before administration. Vaccination details will be recorded in real time on the U-WIN digital platform. The programme will be implemented in coordination with the education, women and child welfare, and other allied departments in the state, the minister added. The minister further added that a state-level control room will centrally monitor the vaccination programme.According to data from the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP), Andhra Pradesh reported 75,000 new cancer cases between 2021 and 2025, with an average of nearly 30,000 cancer-related deaths annually. Between 2021 and 2025, 38,055 women died due to breast, cervical and ovarian cancers.The health minister further noted that cervical cancer alone accounted for 31% of cancer-related female deaths in the past 5 years, underscoring the urgency of preventive interventions. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in India and is primarily caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). It is most prevalent among women aged 15–44 years.On the occasion, officials emphasised that the HPV vaccine is safe and effective. They said mild side effects, such as pain at the injection site or low-grade fever, may occur but generally subside within 2 days. All beneficiaries will be observed for 30 minutes post-vaccination before being discharged. In case of any adverse events or concerns, citizens can contact the 24-hour health helpline at 104.