West Bengal has vaccinated more than 13,000 girls with the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine since the campaign was launched by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on May 30. Health officials anticipate a surge in momentum after June 10, once the training of all district-level manpower is completed.
Current Vaccination Status
South 24 Parganas has recorded the highest number of beneficiaries, while Kolkata has seen a sluggish response, with only 73 girls vaccinated so far. The state aims to cover approximately 7.6 lakh girls aged 14 years (but not yet 15) across all districts to protect them from cervical cancer. Experts note that HPV infection accounts for 99.7% of all cervical cancer cases.
Vaccination Schedule and Challenges
The vaccination is being conducted at over 200 centres, three times daily, with Wednesdays and Thursdays reserved for routine immunisation. In Kolkata, only 27 sessions have been held, resulting in low coverage. Health officials emphasised the need for greater involvement of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), which is the nodal body for the drive in the city. Sources indicated uncertainty within the civic body as a reason for the lacklustre response.
“KMC officials have been asked to attend the meeting of the Special Task Force (vaccination) on Friday to work out ways to improve the vaccination drive,” said a senior health official.
Consent and School Closure Issues
Unlike routine immunisation, the HPV jab requires parental consent for teenage beneficiaries. Additionally, most private schools are closed for summer break, hindering efforts to involve schools in the campaign.
“Once the schools re-open and the district-level training ends, the campaign will gain a lot of impetus. We can expect a significant acceleration by the second week of June, when the vaccination takes place from 800-plus centres across the state,” added a health official.
The state government remains committed to expanding the drive and overcoming current hurdles to ensure widespread protection against cervical cancer.
