Free HPV Vaccination Drive Launched in Nellore District

Nellore: Kovur MLA Vemireddy Prashanti Reddy urged parents to ensure that girls aged aged 14 and 15-year-old receive the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, stating that prevention is better than treatment.

Participating as chief guest at an HPV vaccination programme held at the primary health centre in Jonnawada village of Buchireddypalem mandal on Wednesday, she said the ‘Gardasil-4’ vaccine provides effective protection against cervical cancer, which affects many women.

The MLA announced that free HPV vaccination will be administered in all government hospitals across the district for three months from March 11, and that all eligible girls can avail themselves of the facility.

She said 15,600 girls in the district have already enrolled online for the vaccination and appealed to parents to give consent so that their children can receive the vaccine. The vaccination details will be recorded on the U-Win portal, and certificates will also be issued online.

District medical and health officer Dr V. Sujatha, HPV vaccination nodal officer Dr Amarender Nath Reddy, district immunisation officer Dr Uma Maheshwari, and PHC doctors Dr Ahmed Babu and Dr Vinay Kumar, along with local public representatives, attended the programme.