Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (NJC)
Mangaluru, Oct 27: The Dakshina Kannada district health and family welfare department has urged parents to ensure that their children receive the recommended doses of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine and appealed to eligible 14-year-old girls to avail themselves of the free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme to help prevent cervical cancer.
Addressing a press conference at the district health and family welfare officer's (DHO) office in Mangaluru on Tuesday, district health and family welfare officer Dr H R Thimmaiah highlighted the importance of vaccination in preventing serious illnesses and safeguarding public health.
Measles and rubella are highly contagious viral infections that spread through respiratory droplets released when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Common symptoms include fever, cough, cold, red and watery eyes, and small reddish rashes on the body.
Measles can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, severe diarrhoea, malnutrition and, in some cases, death. Rubella is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, as infection during the first trimester can cause congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), resulting in birth defects affecting the baby's heart, eyes, ears and development.
The health department has urged parents to ensure that their children receive both doses of the MR vaccine in accordance with the National Immunisation Schedule.
The first dose is administered at 9–12 months of age and the second at 16–24 months. Parents have also been advised to seek medical attention if their children develop a fever accompanied by rashes and to keep infected children away from schools and Anganwadi centres to prevent further transmission.
Dr Thimmaiah also highlighted the ongoing HPV vaccination campaign, which has been extended across Karnataka until December 31, 2026.
The campaign aims to protect eligible 14-year-old girls against HPV infections that can cause cervical cancer. A single dose of the Gardasil 4 vaccine is being provided free of cost at government health facilities, including primary health centres, community health centres, taluk and district hospitals, and government medical colleges and hospitals. Vaccination is voluntary and requires parental or guardian consent.
According to the district's campaign data, the target is to vaccinate 16,350 girls. A total of 8,213 vaccinations have been recorded, accounting for 50.23% of the target. The taluk-wise figures include 3,478 vaccinations in Mangaluru, 1,673 in Puttur, 1,165 in Bantwal, 972 in Sullia and 925 in Belthangady.
Cervical cancer remains a major public health concern in India. Estimates from the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases and the Indian Council of Medical Research's National Cancer Registry Programme for 2022 recorded approximately 79,103 new cases and 34,805 deaths due to cervical cancer.
The department has appealed to parents and the public to dispel misconceptions about vaccination and make use of the free immunisation services available at government healthcare facilities. Officials emphasised that timely vaccination, awareness and community participation are essential to preventing vaccine-preventable diseases and reducing the burden of cervical cancer.