12% of 7.6 L girls aged 14-15 get HPV vax

Kolkata: A fortnight after CM Suvendu Adhikari launched the free cervical cancer vaccination programme for the girls between the age of 14 and 15 years targeting around 7.6 lakh girls by Aug, 12% of the girls had been covered in the drive.

East Burdwan district is the top performer, while Kolkata and Kalimpong are the laggards, primary because most schools in the two cities are yet to reopen after the summer vacation.East Burdwan vaccinated 11,246 girls. Ausgram in the district was also the best-performing block with 37.2% or 624 of the targetted 1,649 beneficiaries already covered. In contrast, the vaccination figure in the whole of Kolkata is 350 and that for Kalimpong is 245.

Kalita Maji, Ausgram MLA and MoS for housing, said that the Jamtara BPHC in Ausgram II is doing a good job and the BMOH Sajib Biswas is proactive in the HPV programme.The single dose of Gardasil-4 vaccine is normally given on the left hand to the right-handed girls. He said most block primary health centres in the state are providing the vaccine free twice in a week and once the girls are vaccinated they are also given HPV vaccination certificates.

The official said that the girls need to be motivated and for which the field staff, including Asha workers, are being roped in so that the turnout can be higher. He said that in Kolkata most schools are closed for summer vacation, so once they reopen the thrust would be on parent-teacher meetings for building trust so more girl students come for vaccination. Once the parents understand the need for vaccination, it would be much easier and their consent is also needed for sharing their data along with her daughter under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.

“Again the parents need to certify the age of the daughter and give their consent for vaccination.” He felt often taboo is associated with the vaccines, so more campaigns are needed.