HPV vaccination drive for girls kicks off in Telangana
India
Telangana just kicked off a free HPV vaccination drive for girls aged 14-15, aiming to protect them from the main virus strains that cause cervical cancer.
This move is part of India's bigger "Swastha Nari" mission, which hopes to vaccinate over a crore girls nationwide.
Trained healthcare workers ready for vaccine rollout
Cervical cancer cases and deaths have been rising in Telangana, mirroring a national trend—in Telangana, 55,000-60,000 cancer cases are reported annually; cervical cancer affects around 3,200 women in the state each year.
By offering these vaccines at government health facilities (with parental consent), the state hopes to turn things around.
Plus, thousands of healthcare workers are now trained up to make sure the rollout goes smoothly and safely.