Daijiworld Media Network – Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, May 7: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Wednesday launched a city-wide mega vaccination drive under its ongoing HPV immunisation programme aimed at preventing cervical cancer among adolescent girls.
As part of the initiative, free Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are being administered to girls aged between 14 and 15 years at all Urban Health Centres and municipal corporation hospitals across the city.
AMC officials said the civic body has set a target of vaccinating 48,561 adolescent girls under the programme. So far, 22,137 girls have already received the vaccine.
The corporation had earlier organised two mega vaccination drives during which 1,933 girls were vaccinated on April 24, while another 2,872 girls received the dose on April 30.
Officials noted that the HPV vaccine, which generally costs around Rs 3,000 excluding consultation charges at private healthcare facilities, is being provided free of cost under the civic initiative to ensure wider access and encourage participation.
The vaccination campaign, launched in February this year, has been accompanied by extensive awareness activities across Ahmedabad. The AMC has used hoardings, banners, standees, radio jingles and social media campaigns to spread awareness about cervical cancer prevention and the benefits of HPV vaccination.
The civic body has also circulated educational content and interviews of vaccinated girls to address awareness gaps and motivate more families to participate in the programme.
According to official figures, Gujarat’s broader HPV vaccination campaign has targeted 5,62,324 adolescent girls across the state. Of these, 5,06,100 girls have already been vaccinated.
The AMC has additionally partnered with local representatives, social leaders and educational institutions, including government and private schools, to strengthen outreach efforts among eligible beneficiaries.
Officials associated with the programme stated that the initiative is based on established medical research and global vaccination practices, where HPV immunisation is widely recognised as an effective preventive measure against cervical cancer.
The ongoing vaccination campaign in Ahmedabad will continue till May 30, allowing eligible girls in the 14-15 age group to receive free vaccination at designated civic health centres and hospitals across the city.