PMC to start HPV vaccination in municipal schools from June

Pune: While the Union health ministry announced inclusion of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the National Immunization Program (NIP) in Feb last year, its implementation is yet to occur.
Recognizing the importance of this vaccine in preventing cervical and other cancers in women, the Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) health department is now taking proactive steps.
To address the current delay in the national rollout, the civic body, in collaboration with the NGOs, plans to launch a mass vaccination program for girls in Classes 8 and 9 in municipal schools. This initiative aims to provide timely protection, with the program tentatively scheduled to begin in June. The PMC also aims to use Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for making this initiative a success.
Dr Rajesh Dighe, PMC's assistant health officer, said, "A single dose of the vaccine is 0.5 ml, given twice at an interval of 30 days. One single dose of the anti-HPV vaccine can cost anywhere between Rs2,000 and Rs4,000. A complete cycle of vaccination requires two doses of the vaccine. So to ensure that we can protect more girls from cancer, the PMC is now procuring vaccines with the help of the funds we received through various CSR activities."