Bhubaneswar, Mar 2: The Odisha government has ramped up its Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme, which began on Monday, aimed at providing crucial protection to adolescent girls against cervical cancer.
The initiative is being implemented across all districts, with vaccinations available at district headquarters hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, community health centres, and higher primary health centres.
Girls aged 14 to 15 years, or their guardians, can register for the vaccine via the CoWIN portal. Registration requires uploading Aadhaar card details and proof of age. Once submitted, an OTP will be generated to complete the process. Alternatively, individuals can register directly at hospitals before receiving the vaccine.
In a successful start to the programme, 647 adolescent girls were vaccinated on Sunday. Over the next three months, the first phase of the vaccination drive will target approximately 3.36 lakh girls in this age group. Following this, the initiative will expand to include other age groups of adolescent girls and women.
The HPV vaccine is specifically being provided to protect against cervical cancer, a significant health issue affecting women worldwide. The state's health department has highlighted the importance of this vaccine as a preventive measure, aimed at reducing future risks and safeguarding women’s health.
