Mangaluru: District health officer Dr HR Thimmaiah said that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive for 14-year-old girls in Dakshina Kannada has reached 50.2% progress and has been extended until the end of Dec.
He told reporters on Tuesday that the vaccine offers up to 95% protection against the disease. He said cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in India, with around 1,00,000 cases reported each year and approximately 60,000 resulting deaths. Out of 16,350 doses of vaccine that the district received since the national-level vaccination campaign commenced in Feb, 8,213 doses have been administered so far. While 3,478 doses were administered in Mangaluru, 1,673 doses were given in Puttur, 1,165 in Bantwal, 925 in Belthangady and 972 in Sullia, the DHO said, adding that the vaccine is being administered as a single dose.
Hence, vaccination at the recommended age is an important preventive measure,” he said. The DHO urged parents to ensure that girls are administered the vaccine to protect them from cervical cancer. Dr Thimmaiah appealed to the public not to be misled by rumours circulating on social media. The HPV vaccine is available free of cost at all govt hospitals including primary health centres, community health centres, taluk hospitals and district hospitals. “Many approach hospitals only during the advanced stages of the disease. This reduces chances of survival in cervical cancer. On misleading information circulating through social media, the DHO advised parents, who have doubts, to take suggestions from specialist doctors and ignore unauthenticated messages.