Daijiworld Media Network - Gandhinagar

Gandhinagar, May 9: Gujarat has recorded significant progress in its state-wide Human Papillomavirus (Human Papillomavirus) vaccination campaign, with more than five lakh adolescent girls receiving the first dose aimed at preventing cervical cancer.

According to official data, a total of 5,14,566 vaccinations have been administered out of 5,62,324 eligible 14-year-old girls as of May 6. The overall coverage of the programme currently stands at 91.5 per cent.

On a single day—Wednesday—7,913 girls were vaccinated across the state, reflecting continued momentum in the public health initiative.

State Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said the campaign, conducted under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, has so far reported no serious adverse effects. He said this reinforces both the safety of the vaccine and the efficiency of the ongoing immunisation drive.

The free vaccination programme is being implemented across government medical college hospitals, district and sub-district hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Urban PHCs throughout Gujarat.

Strong District-Level Performance

Several districts and municipal corporations have reported near or above 100 per cent coverage, indicating successful outreach efforts. Regions such as Rajkot Corporation, Bhavnagar Corporation, Narmada, Junagadh Corporation, Jamnagar Corporation and Gandhinagar Corporation have achieved or slightly exceeded their eligible targets.

Surendranagar, Mahisagar, Gir Somnath and Aravalli districts have also crossed the 100 per cent mark in cumulative vaccinations, according to official figures.

In the 95–99 per cent range, districts such as Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, Mahesana, Kheda, Patan, Porbandar, Chhota Udepur, Sabarkantha and others have recorded strong participation.

However, some areas continue to lag behind the state average. Dang district reported 81 per cent coverage, while Rajkot district stood at 88 per cent. Devbhumi Dwarka, Kachchh, Amreli and Morbi districts also reported coverage between 90 and 91 per cent.
Notably, Ahmedabad Corporation recorded the lowest coverage among reported units at 47 per cent.

Government Appeal for Full Participation

The state health department said the vaccination drive will continue through the end of May and urged families to ensure that all eligible adolescent girls receive the vaccine at nearby government health facilities.

Minister Pansheriya also appealed to parents to complete vaccination without delay and warned against misinformation on social media, stating that such claims are not supported by scientific evidence and should not discourage participation in the programme.

The initiative is part of Gujarat’s broader public health strategy to reduce cervical cancer risk through early preventive immunisation among adolescent girls.